A Dove Among Crows
by BlueSky509
Summary: Spin-off of Pulling on the Heartstrings. What happened before Pulling on the Heartstrings? RumpleteazerXOC. Romance story.
1. Getting Started

Disclaimer: I don't own Cats, but I own Elijah. He's mine!

**A/N: I'm back with another story! This is what happened before another story of mine called Pulling on the Heartstrings. If you haven't read Pulling on the Heartstrings, this story will be all the harder to relate to. I suggest you read that first. Anyway, I liked Elijah a lot, and I did mention in Pulling on the Heartstrings that there was a relationship between him and Rumpleteazer. I felt I did it an injustice by leaving it out and up in the air. This is the story of that relationship. Enjoy!  
><strong>

"_We 'ave nowhere else ta go. This is tha' only option fo' us. We're desperate fo' a bettah loife than on tha' streets."_ Mungojerrie repeated to himself in his mind as he led his sister, Rumpleteazer, down a narrow, dark ally. He could barely see a thing and had to feel along the rough brick wall with one paw while holding his sister's paw with the other. They were following a black and white-patched tom who had convinced them that working for the infamous Macavity was the best thing that would ever happen to them.

At this point, Mungojerrie was ready to believe him. Starved, sick, and beaten down, anything was better than living on the unsanitary, dangerous streets of London. It was like a miracle sent down to them by the Everlasting Cat Himself that the tom the calico pair was currently following found them and offered them this job at all. He said that Macavity was looking for cats to hire, and the pair was so desperate for a better life that they didn't hesitate to accept. They didn't care that they were about to go to work for the worst cat in history, as long as it meant they would have food, water, and a roof over their heads.

The tall, lanky tom they were following abruptly stopped, and the pair almost collided into him. He gave them an angry glare as he unclipped a set of keys that were on his black leather belt. The two calicos shrunk back a bit in fear. The tom turned his attention to the lock on the door they were standing in front of and quickly unlocked it. He pushed it open and ushered the two cats inside, glancing behind him to make sure they weren't being followed.

Satisfied, the tom poked his head back inside and let the heavy metal door slide shut behind him. He looked at the two cats that were standing in front of him and shook his head with disappointment. _"Two flea-bitten, wide-eyed siblings that I've picked up off the street are all that I have for ol' Mac's recruiting mission? He'll be so displeased. It's better than nothing, though, so they'll just have to do."_He thought as he looked them over once more in the brighter light of the multiple bulbs on the ceiling.

They were both calico, being orange, black, and white. The tom of the two looked like a tiger than anything else, though. His sister didn't share the same tiger-striped pattern, but she looked very much like her brother. Despite the interesting coat patterns, it was what was beneath the fur that worried him. They were both much too thin for his liking, with their rib cages clearly visible beneath their dirty, matted fur. They showed little muscular build of any kind, but he knew the tom would build muscle and fill out easily with the proper care and training.

He concluded the tom had potential as a henchcat, but the queen he wasn't so sure about. She clung to her brother's arm like a frightened child would to its mother, and she was constantly shivering. It looked to him like she had a cold. The queen let out a quiet sneeze as if to confirm his suspicion. She glanced around the concrete building they were in like she was afraid something might jump out and grab her at any moment.

Deciding to take a chance with her, the black and white tom finished his observation and spoke. "What are your names?"It was the second thing he had said to them during their whole journey to Macavity's hideout.

The calico tom answered. "Oi'm Mungojerrie, an' this is moi sistah, Rumpleteazah. Whot's yours?"He said in a hoarse voice while he motioned to his sister beside him. Rumpleteazer nodded in confirmation.

"It doesn't matter. Don't say anything beyond the answer to the question you're asked."The black and white tom stated flatly. He hated polite cats. He motioned for them to follow and started walking down a hall lined with jail cells.

Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer followed him without hesitation while throwing the occasional glance into the dark cells. Rumpleteazer looked up at her brother with an uncertain expression. "Ya don' think we'll end up in one o' those cells, do ya 'Jerrie? Oi'd 'ate ta be in jail!"She whispered while keeping her gaze fixed straight ahead.

"You will end up in jail if you don't shut up."The tom leading them spoke harshly without turning around. 'Jerrie's upper lip twitched like he wanted to let out a hiss at that comment, but he held himself back. It was no use getting kicked out before they even started.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, the trio reached an ordinary-looking wooden door. The tom knocked on the door and waited for a reply. A gruff "enter" was heard from the other side of the door, and he gently pushed it open and stepped inside. 'Jerrie and 'Teazer followed.

They stood near the door while the black and white tom walked up to a beaten up, stained wooden desk that was covered with scattered yellowed papers and a few maps. He waited for the ginger tom sitting at the desk to take notice of him.

A few moments passed and the ginger tom looked up from the map he was currently studying. He raised a furry eyebrow when he took in what was behind his henchcat. "_That_ is all you found? A couple of mangy strays? I suppose they were at rock bottom when you found them, weren't they?"He said with a hint of disapproval in his voice.

"Yes, Macavity, Sir."The black and white tom replied. He avoided his boss' scrutinizing glare by staring at the gray-painted wall behind him.

Macavity shifted his gaze to the cats behind him. "You two. Come here."He commanded curtly as the tom stepped aside for the pair. 'Jerrie and 'Teazer slowly padded up to the desk as Macavity continued to stare at them. They stopped when they were about two feet away from the desk and waited. The ginger tom silently stood up from his chair and circled the pair, observing them. 'Teazer felt like she and 'Jerrie were being judged like they were pieces of meat for sale. She shifted from foot to foot uncomfortably as he came around to her side. He eyed her up and down, just like the other tom did back in the hallway.

Completing his circle, Macavity sat back down at his desk and was quiet for a few moments. 'Jerrie felt a heavy silence blanket the room, and he felt the tension building up inside him.

When he thought he couldn't stand it any longer, the ginger tom spoke. "They have potential. I'll keep them. Tell me, what are your names?"He asked in a cooler, calmer voice.

Mungojerrie answered again. "Mungojerrie. Moi sistah 'ere is Rumpleteazah."He said. He knew better now than to say anything more this time.

Macavity gave a half-hearted smirk. "Interesting names. You will earn your keep here by committing various crimes such as stealing, assassination, blackmail, and the like. But right now you are in no condition to do anything of the sort. Casey here will show you where you will be sleeping and eating. After you get yourselves settled, Casey will hand you off to Elijah, one of our top security personnel. He will take care of you from there. When he deems you are healthy enough, come back here and I will explain your jobs in further detail. You are not allowed out of this building unless you have authorized permission to do so. Do I make myself clear?"He asked, his voice taking on a military-like essence.

"Y-yes, Sah."Rumpleteazer answered for both of them. She wrinkled her nose up and let out a sneeze as she and her brother turned to leave. Casey stayed where he was.

Macavity's head shot up at the unexpected sound and he narrowed his acid yellow eyes at her. "Before you take these two to their quarters, Casey, make sure they see the healer. I don't want the whole fleet getting infected. Oh, yes, one more thing you two," He added as the pair turned back to face him. "Do not move until I, or whoever is in command of you, says you are dismissed. You are dismissed."He stated with his tone tinted in irritation. As much as he hated rookies, he knew he would have to deal with them if it meant much-needed henchcats would replace the ones he lost.

Casey led the pair of calicos out the room and to the right, where they had come from. He stopped at another wooden door that 'Jerrie hadn't noticed before. This time, though, Casey didn't bother knocking. He just pushed the door open and motioned them inside.

Once inside, the pair took in the small room. The first thing they noticed was that it had a strange scent. The smell reminded 'Jerrie of a drunken tom's breath. A shiny metal sink jutted out of the brick wall that was opposite to a short counter also made of the same material. Above the metal counter were a few white cabinets that had different labels taped onto them, but neither cat could make out what was scrawled on them. A stout, brown tom sat at the counter in a wooden chair.

He looked up as he heard the trio come in. "What can I do for you, Casey? Oh, I see we have new charges!"He exclaimed pleasantly as he noticed 'Jerrie and 'Teazer behind him. "Hello, I'm Dr. Stanley. Everyone just calls me "Healer", though. Easier to remember, I guess. The toms around here aren't very bright."He whispered as if he were telling a secret. Casey let out a low growl at that last comment, which just seemed to amuse him even more. Healer motioned for the pair to come into the light of the three light bulbs dangling from the ceiling.

'Jerrie shrugged and came into the better light, followed by his sister. Dr. Stanley checked him over quickly, prodding him every now and then. Finding nothing of concern, he made him open his mouth. Dr. Stanley looked down his throat, and when he was done, he patted 'Jerrie's shoulder and stepped back. "You're jim-dandy, my friend."He said with a smile, but it faded as he took in 'Jerrie's confused expression. "You're fine; healthy. Let me check your uhh, friend here."He explained as he moved on to 'Teazer, who was waiting patiently beside her brother.

"She's moi sistah. 'Er name's Rumpleteazah, an' Oi'm Mungojerrie."'Jerrie corrected the doctor. He got an absentminded nod as a response as Healer was busy looking down 'Teazer's throat.

When he was finished, he crossed his arms and looked up at her. "I'm afraid you have a case of the common cold, missy. Not to worry, I have something that will help."Dr. Stanley reassured her as he turned around and rummaged through his cabinet. After a few seconds, he let out an "aha!" and turned around with a dark bottle and a clean spoon in paw.

He unscrewed the bottle cap and poured a pale yellow liquid onto the spoon. He held it up to 'Teazer's mouth. She took one sniff of it and recoiled from it like it would bite her.

"Don't worry, it's just medicine. It will make that sore throat of yours feel better in no time."The doctor told her with an encouraging smile.

'Jerrie patted his sister reassuringly on her back as she straightened up and let the doctor feed her the medicine. She grimaced as the bitter taste of the syrup entered her mouth, but she swallowed it anyway.

Dr. Stanley put the medicine away as he fired off instructions for her. "Don't go outside, and keep yourself hydrated. That means drink lots of water. If that throat of yours gets any worse, come straight back to me. You should be fine in a week or so. Now you three may go, I'm sure you're tired and would like some rest. Good night."He explained cheerily as he started washing the spoon.

Casey nodded towards the pair and walked out of the room without saying a word. His new charges followed suit. He led them down the same hall they had just come through, past Macavity's office, and they rounded a corner to end up in a new corridor. This one was long and straight, and had countless doors lining it. All were shut, and the hall was completely silent, except for the sound of the trio's footsteps against the concrete floor.

Mungojerrie figured all these doors led to rooms, judging by the tiny, black numbers on them. He wondered if he and his sister would be staying in one of these. He decided to ask. "'Ey, Casey, is this where moi sistah an' Oi will be sleepin'?"He questioned the tom in front of them, hoping for a yes.

Just like last time, Casey kept his eyes fixed in front of him as he answered. "No. This is where sentries and security personnel sleep."He stated like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

'Jerrie pouted in disappointment, but kept walking. The rest of the trip down the hall was spent in silence.

At last, they reached the end of the corridor. The chatter of multiple cats and clanking of metal utensils reached 'Teazer's ears as she looked around for the source of the sudden noise. She turned her head to the right and saw that the hall opened up to a large room with long wooden tables. At these tables sat rows of other cats of all colours and sizes. They were predominantly toms, but she spotted a few queens here and there. She could smell the enticing aroma of food wafting from the far side of the room, where she saw it was being cooked. She wanted to go in there so badly and get something to eat, but Casey kept his pace and walked right past the room. She thought she heard him mutter something about the room being called a cafeteria, but the chatter of the other cats almost drowned his voice out, so she wasn't sure.

They continued on straight down another short hallway, only to stop at another corner. This corner had a huge set of metal double-doors in it. The pair looked to their left down the last long corridor, but the only thing of interest was a door at the other end.

Curious, 'Teazer started to walk towards it, but Casey roughly grabbed her shoulder, preventing her from going any further. "Where do you think you're going? We're not going down there; this is where you and your brother will be sleeping."Casey said as he motioned his head towards the huge metal doors in front of him.

'Teazer shook his paw off her shoulder and turned towards the doors, but threw a sidelong glance at that mysterious door at the other end of the hall. "Whot's be'oind tha' door down tha'?"She asked as Casey went to push the metal doors open.

"That's none of your concern. Get inside."He grunted as he got one door open. 'Jerrie and 'Teazer did as they were told before the door shut behind them. The room they entered was as big as the cafeteria, if not larger. Columns of small bunk-beds standing four beds tall and ten beds long lined each side of the concrete room. Many cats were also in here, laying in their beds or standing around, talking. They paid no attention to the three cats that had just entered.

Wordlessly, Casey led them down the left side of the room, along the seemingly endless columns of beds. He stopped at the last column, and pointed at the two top-most beds. "Those are yours. Do not sleep in anyone else's bed, or you will face consequences."He glared at 'Teazer when he said this. She gave him a confused look in response, as she had no idea what he was implying. 'Jerrie gently nudged her with his elbow and raised an eyebrow at her with a small smirk.

She glanced at him and her face lit up as she caught on, but then formed a disgusted expression as she mouthed "eww" and started to climb the ladder that went up to her bed. She crawled onto the very top bunk and lay down with a yawn. She glanced down and saw that Casey had disappeared.

'Jerrie looked around for him as well as he climbed the ladder and crawled into his bed, but he couldn't find him. Shrugging it off, he put his head down and closed his eyes. After a few moments, he felt someone tugging at his tail that was draped over the side of the bed. He gave a start and tried to sit up, but banged his head on the metal bottom of the bed above him. He heard 'Teazer giggle as he rubbed his aching forehead. He glared down angrily at the cat that had disturbed him.

Turns out, it was a lean, charcoal-black tom that was a little shorter than him. He was wearing the same belt as Casey, only his had a tiny fanny pack attached to it on the side where his hip was. He smirked up at him and his sky-blue eyes twinkled with amusement. _"This mus' be Eloijah..."_'Jerrie thought as he yanked his tail out of the tom's reach.

'Teazer smiled down at the black tom and spoke her brother's thoughts. "You mus' be Eloijah, roight? Oi'm Rumpleteazah, and this peeved tom down tha' is moi brothah, Mungojerrie. Noice ta meet ya!"She said politely, still chuckling.

Elijah craned his neck to look up at her. "It's a pleasure to meet you both. You're right, I am _Eloijah,_"He smiled, imitating 'Teazer's accent. "It's going to be my job to take care of you two and get you up to snuff about what goes on around here. Right now, though, you two must be hungry. I snuck something from the cafeteria for you guys."He explained as he unzipped his fanny pack.

The pairs' eyes grew wide as Elijah pulled two grilled mice from it. He threw one up to each of them, and they ate it like ravenous wolves. He grinned as he licked his own paw of mouse grease and zipped his pack up.

When they were done, 'Teazer was the first to speak. "Thanks so much! Tha' was tha' best meal we've 'ad in days! Whot ah' we goin' ta do now?"She asked with another yawn.

Eliajh didn't hesitate to acknowledge her sleepiness. "You're both going to get some sleep. It's time for lights out, anyway. See you guys in the morning."He said as he turned and made his way to the front of the room, where the metal doors were. As 'Jerrie looked after him, he noticed that the rest of the beds had become occupied during their conversation. All the henchcats were ready to go to sleep. He turned his attention to the front of the room, where Elijah stood by a small row of light switches on the wall next to the doors.

"Attention!"He shouted in a manner that reminded 'Jerrie of a drill sergeant he had once seen when he was passing by a military compound. All the quiet buzz of conversation around him immediately ceased, and the room became dead-silent. "All those on cleaning duty and mission briefing tomorrow morning will wake at dawn! Shut up, and go to sleep!"Elijah's rich, tenor voice echoed throughout the compound. His tone still sounded like a drill sergeant's. He shut the lights off one by one, and the room became dark as pitch.

When 'Jerrie heard the metal door slam shut, his face contorted in a sneer, like he had never been talked to rudely like that. "Well tha' wasn't verey noice..."He muttered under his breath. He gave a start as he was attacked by multiple, harsh "shhh's"from all directions. When the other cats settled down and the episode was over, he closed his eyes and let sleep overtake him.


	2. It Wasn't a Cold

Disclaimer: Last time I checked, I didn't own Cats.

**A/N: Yeah, next chappie! Hurray! Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed! We get to see a little more of Elijah's soft side and attitude in this one, for those of you that like this OC! Enjoy!**

Rumpleteazer groggily opened her eyes to see the unfamiliar concrete ceiling of her new sleeping area instead of the brick walls of an alley towering over her that she had become accustomed to. She felt a rush of panic surge through her as she tried to remember where she was. Lifting her head to get a better look around, she put it back down almost immediately as she felt it start to pound something fierce. It was like someone was banging a hammer against it, and they wouldn't stop.

She let out an almost inaudible moan of pain as the rest of her body started to wake up. It felt sore all over, and she was shivering constantly even though she knew she wasn't cold. To put it bluntly, she felt horrible. She tilted her head so that she was looking out over the room, and noticed that at least fifteen henchcats were gone. The ones that weren't gone were still fast asleep. 'Teazer figured she was the only one awake. The lightening sky outside the large rectangular window beside her told her that it was still very early in the morning, that it was barely even dawn.

Closing her eyes, she let her new-found exhaustion pull her into a fitful sleep.

After what seemed like a few minutes, she suddenly felt her herself being shaken awake. Someone was faintly calling her name. Opening her eyes, she saw a face almost identical to hers frowning down at her. It was Mungojerrie.

"C'mon sleepey-'ead! You've got ta ge' up! Eloijah's gonna be 'ere any minute!"He said urgently, oblivious to his sister's pain. When all he got was a blank stare and a quiet moan of pain in response, he grew worried.

'Teazer winced slightly as her the back of her brother's cool paw rested on her burning forehead. As quickly as the paw came, it left. She gazed up at her brother for a verdict.

"Oh no...This is bad...Oi'll go ge' Eloijah. Troiy not ta move!"'Jerrie warned her, and quickly climbed down the ladder. When he got to the ground, he took off running, weaving through the numerous henchcats as he made his way to the double-doors.

Mungojerrie looked around frantically for the black, blue-eyed tom he had met yesterday. Unbeknownst to him, he was heading straight for him. Elijah was standing with his back to him, mingling with a group of henchcats.

'Jerrie's frantic search was suddenly cut short as he felt himself collide with another cat. He didn't have time to react as the tom swung his arm around and punched him right in the jaw.

"What the fu-oh it's you, Mungojerrie, I'm so sorry!"Elijah's vulgar outburst was replaced with an apology as he recognized the bewildered calico tom that had crashed into him. He reached a paw out to help him up.

'Jerrie stretched his paw out and let Elijah pull him up, while he rubbed his now sore jaw. "Ya sure can punch, Eloijah. But tha's not whot Oi came to foind ya fo'. 'Teazah got worse. Oi don' know whot's wrong with 'er!"His voice was full of desperation.

Elijah's brow furrowed in concern. "It's alright; she's going to be fine. Let's go see her."He said reassuringly as he led 'Jerrie to the column where his and 'Teazer's beds were. Elijah quickly climbed the ladder and crawled onto her bed. 'Jerrie followed, but sat at the foot of the bed. He gazed at his sister, who looked different than when he left her. He remembered she was shivering quite a bit, but now it looked like her body had gone limp, with only minimal shivering. He also remembered her face was contorted in pain, but now it was relaxed. Her chest rose and fell slightly in correlation with her shallow breathing. She looked eerily peaceful.

Elijah sat beside her and softly called her name. "Rumpleteazer? Can you hear me?"He asked, but only got as much as a twitch of her brow in response. Nodding to himself, he placed the back of his paw on her forehead. As 'Jerrie expected, she winced again and tried to move her head away from the cold paw. Elijah wasn't surprised, though.

He turned to 'Jerrie with his diagnosis. "She's got a fever, the poor thing. It's not a simple cold anymore, it's much worse. I just hope we're not too late."He said morosely as he turned his attention back to 'Teazer. He moved his paw from her forehead down to her chest, where her heart was. 'Jerrie tensed and let out a low warning growl as he observed what he was doing.

Elijah smirked slightly as he closed his eyes to try and block out any distractions or noises other than 'Teazer's breathing and heartbeat. "Don't worry, I'm just checking her breathing and heart rate..."He murmured as he put his free paw up to signal 'Jerrie to be quiet. 'Jerrie stopped growling and studied the black tom's face while he waited. His smirk was still there, but it had turned into more of a content one rather than a cocky one. His face was a picture of serenity as he counted 'Teazer's heartbeats and breaths for a full minute. 'Jerrie was impressed with his calm, gentle treatment of his sister. Any other tom he knew would have no problem touching her in a way that would make him want to beat the tom unconscious.

After a minute, Elijah retracted his paw from 'Teazer's chest and opened his eyes. He shook his head a bit to clear it and get back to reality. He turned to 'Jerrie with that content half-smile still plastered on his face, and his eyes had a hopeful essence to them. "Her breathing's a bit shallow, but that's to be expected. Other than that, it's fine. Her heart rate is higher than I'd like it, but that's also normal for someone with a fever. It's not too high, so that means the fever's hasn't hit her too hard yet. She has a good, fighting chance."His half-smile turned into a full smile as he made his way over to the ladder. "I'm going to get medicine from Dr. Stanley. We should switch places."He explained as he moved aside for 'Jerrie.

'Jerrie nodded as he crawled past Elijah and took his place beside his sister. Elijah proceeded to climb down the ladder and jog out of the room. 'Jerrie smiled after him, happy that someone other than himself actually cared enough about his sister to help her. You didn't find that kindness out on the streets, where it was every cat for themselves. He switched his attention from Elijah to 'Teazer as he saw her stir from out of the corner of his eye.

'Teazer let a slight sigh escape her lips. 'Jerrie picked up a hint of blissfulness in it as he grinned down at her. She gazed up at her brother again, and this time 'Jerrie saw that there was a little bit more life to her eyes than the last time.

"'Jer...? Who was tha'...? Oi couldn' make out their voice..."'Teazer said in a hoarse whisper as her brother took her paw comfortingly in his.

"Tha' was Eloijah, 'Teaze. 'E said ya 'ave a fevah. 'E checked ya ovah an' evreythin'. 'E's gone ta get medicine fo' ya, so you'll feel bettah."'Jerrie reassured his sister in a soft tone. He chuckled as he saw her nose wrinkle at the sound of the word "medicine".

'Teazer soon relaxed her nose and her lips formed a small smile as she thought of something else. "'Is paw felt so noice...Oi could tell 'e was bein' realleh gentle, jus' loike you."She murmured as she closed her eyes again. Her head went limp and lolled to the side.

'Jerrie's smile faded and was replaced with a frown of concern. He hoped Elijah would get back soon. He glanced down and saw that they were drawing the attention of a small crowd of about five toms. Everyone else had gone for breakfast. _"Whot ah' they lookin' at? It's loike they've nevah seen a sick cat beyfore!"_He thought as he cocked his head down at them. He noticed they didn't look very happy.

Before he could entertain the thought though, he saw Elijah come through the doors on the other end of the room and jog towards him. As he got closer, he slowed to a walk as he too became puzzled as to why the few toms were gathered around the column of beds.

"There's nothing to see here! Don't you toms have better things to do? Get out!"He commanded in the same voice he had used last night. The toms weren't having any of it. They stood their ground and stayed where they were.

One of the braver toms turned towards him and glared daggers at him, like he had done something wrong. "We should be asking _you _the same question. Since when are sick cats important? I thought Mac' told us they were worthless, and good for nothing but death? Didn't he tell us that one sick cat could end up killing off half the fleet? That queen up there should be thrown out so she doesn't get the rest of us sick! What the hell are you keeping her for, Elijah?"The gray tom sneered while the other four nodded in agreement behind him.

Mungojerrie could feel his hackles rise at the way the tom was speaking about his sister, but he didn't dare climb down and give him a piece of his mind. He was in no condition to fight, and he knew he was outnumbered anyway. Plus, he noticed Elijah had it under control.

Elijah sauntered up to the tom and stared him straight in the eye. In one swift movement, he grabbed his neck and threw the surprised tom into the metal ladder below 'Jerrie. A dull ring rang out from the metal as the tom's skull collided with it. The other toms gave a warning hiss, but were too submissive to even try to attack their superior.

Elijah kept both paws on the gray tom's neck as he struggled to get free from his grasp. Elijah leered up at the tom as he winced and squirmed beneath his grip. "She's my responsibility, not yours. She has a fever, and you _dim-witted_ toms know that fevers aren't contagious. She's none of your concern, boys. As for you, Jake," Elijah lowered his voice so it was barely above a whisper, "I'll let you off with a warning. Talk to me like that again and I'll make sure that that will be the last time I have to hear your cocky voice. Do I make myself clear?"He asked darkly.

But Jake wasn't about to let Elijah put him in his place that fast. "Someone's a little touchy today! I wonder if Elijah's got a crush on the new queen?"Jake asked loud enough so the other toms could hear. Snickers and whoops could be heard coming from the other four toms standing behind Elijah and Jake.

Elijah took a deep breath before he lost his composure to this tom. _"He just wants attention again. Don't give him the satisfaction. Control yourself before you snap...Oh, what the hell, this bastard deserves to get beaten up a bit!"_Elijah thought as he stared the tom in the eye once more. "You just crossed the line."He smirked as his composure just got thrown out the window. _"So much for not giving him the satisfaction...This is going to be fun..."_He thought as he removed his right paw from the tom's throat, but kept his left in place.

In the blink of an eye, he punched Jake three times; two in his face and one in his stomach. For each punch Jake tried to fight back, but Elijah was too quick. By the time he punched him in the stomach, Jake hadn't moved so much as his arm. 'Jerrie felt the metal frame of the bed shake with the force of Elijah's punches. Elijah then threw him across the floor, making him stumble and skid on his back, humiliating him in front of his posse. The other toms gave another hiss and stepped back, afraid.

Jake recovered enough to stand up again, albeit shakily. He rubbed his paw across his broken nose and stared down at it wide-eyed as it became smeared with blood. He narrowed his eyes at Elijah who looked back at him, smirking. "You'll pay for this! This isn't over!"The gray tom threatened as he ran out of the room, followed by his posse.

Elijah chuckled as he climbed the ladder to 'Teazer's bed. When he noticed 'Jerrie's bewildered expression, he smiled even more. "Don't worry; they won't be back anytime soon. This isn't the first time I had to deal with Jake. We have our little tiffs every now and then. It's good to have a rival when everyone else is scared of you, I guess."He shrugged.

"Tha' was...impressive. Oi 'ave ta 'and it ta ya; 'e looked tough."'Jerrie complimented as he smiled as well. He cocked his head as he noticed a canteen of water on Elijah's belt that wasn't there before.

Elijah followed his gaze and his face lit up. "Oh, right! 'Teazer's medicine! Sorry, I kind of got sidetracked back there. Help her sit up, ok? She needs to take a pill."He explained as he unclipped the canteen and unzipped his fanny pack to take out a small plastic jar of red-coloured pills. He crawled over to 'Teazer's side as 'Jerrie slid a paw underneath her back on her other side and helped sit her up.

Elijah popped the jar's lid off and took out one of the pills. He replaced the lid and set the jar down as he reached for his canteen. Unscrewing the cap, he put the pill in 'Teazer's mouth that 'Jerrie held open for him and poured some water in her mouth as well. He rubbed her throat until he felt her swallow the pill and then screwed the cap back on his canteen.

'Jerrie set his sister back down as he looked gratefully at Elijah, who was putting the jar of pills back in his fanny pack. He clipped his canteen back on his belt before he noticed 'Jerrie. "What?"He asked, cocking his head at him.

"Thanks. Ya saved moi sistah's loife, ya know. If it wasn' fo' you, she'd be dead, one way or anothah."'Jerrie said softly as he smiled down at his sister.

"No problem. You'd probably do the same for me, anyway. If you want, I can get you something to eat. We both haven't had breakfast, and there's not much more we can do for 'Teazer."He offered, beginning to make his way over to the ladder.

'Jerrie chuckled mirthlessly at his modesty. "'Ardly. Oi don' know a thin' 'bout illnesses. But yeah, Oi would loike some food. Oh yes, can ya get 'Teazah a blanket? She looks cold."He said as Elijah climbed down the ladder.

Elijah nodded and headed off toward the door. Alone, and with nothing else to do while he waited, he began stroking his sister's headfur in an effort to comfort her. After a few minutes, he heard the metal doors slam shut and saw Elijah walking back with two grilled mice in one paw, and a green blanket in the other. He threw one to 'Jerrie and quickly ate the other himself before he threw the blanket up and climbed the ladder.

While 'Jerrie chewed his mouse, he gazed out the large window and over the other buildings of London. He had a good view, so he knew he wouldn't get bored anytime soon while he watched over 'Teazer. When he finished, he reached for the blanket, but saw that Elijah had already laid it on 'Teazer.

Elijah looked past 'Jerrie and out the window. His blue eyes grew wide as he noticed the position of the sun. "Oh shoot, I'll be late for patrol. I'll be back in a few hours, alright? Your sister should be fine for now; just remember to keep her warm and hydrated."He explained as he quickly unclipped his canteen and tossed it over to 'Jerrie. He slid down the ladder and jogged out of the room without another word.

'Jerrie caught the canteen with ease and laid it down beside him. Yawning, he stretched himself out beside 'Teazer and decided to take a nap. The morning's excitement had tired him out considerably. He decided his sister would be fine without him for a couple hours. Closing his eyes, he drifted off to sleep.


	3. Secrets of the Trade

Disclaimer: Thanks for checking guys, I _really_ appreciate it. That wasn't sarcasm, really. I don't own Cats, but I own Elijah.

**A/N: A big thank you to all who have read so far and/or reviewed! You make me feel loved! I figured I've tortured 'Teazer enough, so things will get better and hopefully more interesting in this chappie! (There's fluff! ;))Warning: there is some swearing in this chapter! I didn't rate this story T just for the violence, you know.**

Mungojerrie awoke from his cat nap to find Rumpleteazer still sleeping soundly beside him. He listened to her breathing for a few seconds and found that it was much more even and deep than before. _"Tha's a good soign. Oi bet tha' worst o' it 'as passed."_He smiled to himself as he sat up and laid the back of his paw on her forehead. To his relief, it was much cooler than the last time he checked. Her temperature wasn't back to normal, but it was better.

He turned around and almost had a heart attack when he saw Elijah crouched at the foot of the bed, staring back at him. "'Oly shit, Eloijah! Don' ya know it's rude ta watch a cat whoile 'e's sleepin'? 'Ow long 'ave ya been tha'?"He asked, trying to calm his racing heart.

Elijah frowned in mock-offense as he shifted into a sitting position. "Umm...Actually I've only been here for a few minutes. I just got back from patrol. I would have been here sooner, but a fight broke out, so I had to go and break it up, and then I had to give the jail warden a lesson in punctuality, and...Oh darn, I'm rambling again. Sorry for scaring you."He said apologetically. His eyes darted to 'Teazer as she started to stir.

'Jerrie noticed her movement as well and scooted to the side of the small bed so that his back was against the concrete wall. He looked hopefully down at his sister, waiting.

'Teazer slowly opened her eyes and took a moment to focus them. Like some sort of miracle, her headache was gone, but her mind was still clouded in a thick fog. At least it didn't feel like a cinder block weighing her neck down anymore. She felt warmer, but that was probably because of the blanket she noticed that was covering her. She also didn't feel like she was hot and cold at the same time, and that her shivering was almost non-existent.

She looked around for her brother and saw him sitting next to her, smiling. "'Ey, 'Jer. 'Ow long was Oi out? Oi feel a lot bettah, fo' some reason. Did ya give moi more medicine?"She asked in a hoarse whisper, propping herself up onto her elbows.

'Jerrie shook his head and chuckled as he ruffled 'Teazer's headfur. She jerked her head away, giggling. "Stop it! Ya know Oi 'ate tha'!"She laughed, trying to swat her brother's paw away.

"Tha's exactly whoiy Oi'm doin' it! Ya gave us quoite a scare, ya know! Ya were out fo' tha' whole mornin'. But it's not moi ya ah' lookin' ta thank, it's Eloijah. 'E did prettey much evreythin'. Ta put it simpley, 'e saved ya loife."'Jerrie motioned his head towards Elijah who was still sitting patiently at the foot of the bed, observing them with a tiny smile that looked almost sad.

'Teazer grinned at him as 'Jerrie removed his paw from her headfur. She quickly ran her paws through it to smooth it down. "Thanks, Eloijah. Oi would kiss ya, but Oi'm still sick. So awll Oi can do is thank ya."She giggled again, but it faded as she noticed his sad smile. "Whot's wrong? Ya don' look verey 'appy fo' a cat tha' jus' got thanked."She cocked her head as she slowly sat up. Succeeding, she narrowed her eyes at him, expecting him to answer for his gloominess.

Elijah's head jerked up, like he had just been caught daydreaming. He shook his head a bit, but avoided her eyes. "It's none of your concern."He muttered as if it was automatic. _"Damn it! Tell them!"_He mentally yelled at himself as he cleared his throat and tried again. "Sorry. Force of habit. It's just that seeing you guys...so pure and innocent-" he stopped as 'Jerrie scoffed at the word "innocent" and 'Teazer lightly slapped his arm as punishment. He continued as soon as 'Jerrie quieted down. "Reminds me of something we're not allowed to show here: love. Not even for family, let alone romantic. There are severe punishments if anyone is caught showing affection beyond friendship. I guess I should have told you that sooner, but I got kind of distracted."He winked at 'Teazer who broke out into a smile.

Her smile disappeared again as she thought of something else. "So Oi'm not allowed ta fool around with moi brothah? Is tha' anythin' else we should know 'bout?"She leaned forward like she was about to hear a juicy secret.

Elijah smirked as he tapped his chin, thinking. "Oh no, you're still allowed to fight with him and whatnot, but just remember to not get caught in public. That's another thing that's not allowed here: fighting. Sure, you'll fight quite a bit on missions, but if I, or anyone else, caught you beating the crap out of someone here, you would pay dearly."He sat back as he thought of more of the basics he should tell them.

'Jerrie furrowed his brow, confused. "Wait, if ya said no foightin', than whot 'bout this mornin'? Ya beat the crap outta Jake, which is tragic that 'Teaze ovah 'ere missed it, but didn' get caught? Whot's up with tha'?"He asked as he patted 'Teazer's shoulder consolingly. "Ya shouldda seen it, sis'. 'Is punches were so powahful, they made tha' whole column shake, even up 'ere. Get this guy angry, an' it's a one way ticket ta 'ell, trust me."'Jerrie smiled as he reminisced about the fight that morning. 'Teazer just rolled her eyes in response.

Elijah cocked an eyebrow at 'Jerrie's enthusiasm and gave a snort, like he knew something they didn't. "Oh, that rule only applies to henchcats. We higher-ups get to fight to keep ourselves conditioned and to keep you guys in line. That's one of the things I love about being a security officer. I get to fight you guys, but you can't fight me. Unless of course I say it's sparring, _then_ you're allowed to fight me. Umm...there isn't much else about the basics, other than you're not allowed in the rooms of cats around my rank, which are down the hall with all those doors. Unless you have permission, of course. You're also not allowed in the room of the cat that's second-in-command, which is down the hall to the right, just before the jail cells. There's no exception there. I feel like I'm forgetting something, though..."He trailed off as he scratched his headfur, trying to remember.

'Teazer nodded in understanding as she let his words sink in. "Oi see. Whot is evreythin' 'bout these ranks? Oi keep hearin' ya say tha', but 'ow many ah' there realleh?"She asked. She wanted to know everything there was as to how her new job worked.

"Right, ranks...They're really just different roles we get promoted to, but with benefits. At the bottom of the "food chain"," Elijah used air quotes with his fingers, "are the henchcats, which are you guys. Sorry to say, you don't get many perks. You have to have permission to leave the building, blah, blah, blah. I assume you've already heard all that from Casey. You guys do most of Macavity's dirty work on missions and the like. We sometimes make you hunt or scavenge, depending on what we need. Next are the security officers, like me. We mostly just guard the place at night and do patrols during the day. We get our own rooms, and we don't have to get permission for anything, really. The sentries are the third level, and the only reason they out-rank security officers is because they're precious to have around. You've got to have exceptional hearing and sight, and be ready for anything. Enemies usually go for sentries first if they attack, so it's one of the most dangerous jobs in this place. If you're a sentry, you get basically the same perks as a security officer, only you're a little higher up on the food chain. Right under Macavity himself is second-in-command. I can't tell you much, as they've never really told me anything other than where his room is...Anyone in that rank is sworn to secrecy. I don't expect you to remember all this, but it's just good to know for future reference. Anything else?"Elijah asked, looking at 'Teazer.

This time 'Jerrie asked a question. "Whot do ya do fo' fun 'round 'ere? Do we get ta pull pranks on each othah?"He asked as a mischievous grin formed on his face.

The black tom snapped his fingers as he remembered what he had forgotten. "Yes! Thanks, 'Jerrie, I knew I was forgetting something! Do you drink, by any chance?"He asked as he imitated the calico's grin.

'Jerrie laughed like he was joking. "Whot? Ya mean loike...alcohol?"He asked. He didn't think Elijah was serious. He had never touched a bottle of beer or wine in his life. He could never afford one at the local bar, and it was way too hard to steal one with all the security they had at those places. Plus, he didn't think it was worth getting drunk when he had his sister to take care of. It would put her in too much danger.

But Elijah was dead-serious. "Hell yeah, I mean alcohol. Drinking's not permitted inside the hideout, but Macavity never said anything about drinking outside. A few of my cohorts and I go out to the local bar every weekend and drink a few bottles. Best time you'll ever have, my friend. Maybe once you guys complete your first real mission, I'll take you out to celebrate. But enough about drinking. The pranks we pull on each other are hilarious! Around this time last year," Elijah lowered his voice to barely above a whisper as he leaned in like someone might hear him, "I convinced Jake to go into the second-in-command's room, and steal something while he was out on patrol. Jake came out with a freakin' dagger! I figured it was some kind of ceremonial thing, and that the second-in-command doesn't actually use it, so we hid it. Man, when he found out it was gone, we thought we were dead. That tom was like the Devil himself! He made our lives miserable! After a day or so, we couldn't take the fear and suffering anymore, so we tried to put it back. The tom caught us, and well, let's just say that dagger wasn't just for show. I still have the scars from that. But cats still talk about it, even today, so I know it was worth it."He checked over his shoulder to make sure no one was listening. Fortunately, the room was still empty.

'Jerrie and 'Teazer covered their mouths with their paws and tried hard to keep from laughing. They eventually calmed down enough so that they could speak again. "Best. Prank. Evah! Oi wish Oi could somethin' loike tha'!"'Teazer said as she broke down into a fit of giggles. She heard her brother's stomach growl with hunger, and she laughed even more.

"Hungry? Come on, I think they're about to serve dinner. I've talked long enough, and I want to introduce you to some of my friends. Are you ok with moving around, 'Teazer?"Elijah looked concernedly at the queen who was still sick. He wouldn't force to go if she didn't want to.

'Teazer calmed down long enough to stop laughing and reply. "Oi'll be awlroight. Oi'm 'ungry, too."She said as she took her blanket off and stretched. She threw it at her brother, who let out a playful hiss and threw it back at her in retaliation. She got caught off guard as the heavy blanket hit her side and made her lose balance. She suddenly felt herself tumbling over the edge of the narrow bed and just managing to hook her claws into the thin metal railing before she fell several meters onto the hard, concrete floor.

Letting out a scream, she struggled to find a foothold on the bed beneath her, but all she could feel was empty air. She knew she was too far from the ladder, and that she was too weak from the fever to hold herself up long enough to move over there. She was stuck.

Elijah immediately sprung into action and practically jumped off the column as 'Jerrie quickly slid down the ladder after him. "'Teazer, I'm right below you. Let go, and I promise I'll catch you."Elijah shouted up to her as 'Jerrie stood a little further behind him, ready to break Elijah's fall if the impact was too great.

"_Should Oi trust 'im with moi loife? 'E's saved moi once...Oi can't 'old on much longah. Oi've got ta trust 'im."_'Teazer thought as she looked down. Sure enough, the black tom was directly below her, ready and waiting. 'Jerrie was also behind him. _"'Ere goes nothin'!"_She thought as she felt her paws slip. Her strength finally failed her and she felt cold, empty air rushing up from beneath her to greet her as she fell. She landed on something softer than she expected, and it certainly wasn't the hard, concrete floor. Looking up, she saw a black face smiling back at her.

Elijah had actually caught her. He set her gently down on the floor so she was standing on solid ground again. He stiffened as she hugged him, burying her head in his chest and letting out silent tears of gratitude and fear. He felt himself relax and return the hug while resting his chin on the top of her head. He looked to 'Jerrie for approval, who nodded and stepped back, giving the pair some space.

Elijah felt 'Teazer's body shake with fear-filled sobs as she slowly recovered from the frightening fall she had just experienced. "Shh...It's alright, I gotcha. You're safe now..."He crooned softly in an effort to calm her down. He felt her relax a bit in his arms as she heard his soothing voice. But she was still shaking and whimpering a little, which meant that she wasn't completely back to normal. Elijah decided to try again to comfort her again. He hesitantly began stroking her back gently with one paw as he held her head closer against his chest with the other. He even found himself start to purr as he got into the rhythm of stroking 'Teazer's back.

This surprised him, as he hadn't allowed himself to purr in over a year. He always thought it was a sign of weakness, so he stopped. Now he remembered how nice it felt, and forgot all about that notion. He let his lips form into that tranquil half-smile he had yesterday when he was checking 'Teazer over. Everything felt perfect at that moment.

After about five minutes of this, 'Teazer had completely recovered from her fall. She stopped shaking, and her whimpers had turned into purrs. She pulled away from Elijah and smiled up at him. "Thanks. Oi realleh needed tha'."She said sincerely as she turned her attention from him to 'Jerrie, who was still standing a bit further away from the pair, grinning to himself.

His grin disappeared, however, when his sister locked her now furious eyes onto him. She stalked towards him with her tail lashing. "Mungojerrie, ya idiot!" She yelled at him, using his full name. Rumpleteazer never used his full name unless he was about to get punished, or if she was _really_ angry. Right now, it was both. She threw a sucker punch at his face, and she didn't hold back. 'Jerrie was sent reeling backwards a few feet before he regained his balance. He couldn't retaliate; he knew he deserved to get punished. He rubbed his aching jaw as he saw 'Teazer dusting her fur off, her anger diminished and her revenge complete.

His punishment was over, so he decided it was safe to speak again. "Oi'm very sorreh, sis'...Oi guess Oi underestimated moi strength...But tha' moment you two jus' 'ad was 'eart-meltin'; seriously. Oi could feel tha' connection from awll tha' way ovah 'ere! Amazing, realleh."He smiled as his sister blushed with embarrassment.

"'Jerrie, shut up before someone hears you! Remember what I told you about? How about we go get some food now that we're all calmed down?"Elijah's voice cracked a bit as he headed toward the door without waiting for a response. Truth was, he needed an excuse to hide his own embarrassment. He thanked the Everlasting Cat for his black fur so that 'Teazer couldn't see him blush as calico pair shrugged and followed, eager to finally see what the cafeteria was like.

As the pair walked down the hall with Elijah, the sounds and smells of the cafeteria intensified as they got closer. Once they actually stepped into the room, 'Teazer noticed it was much larger than what she thought before when she only got a passing glance. She didn't have time to take it all in, though, as her brother pulled her along to avoid getting left behind by Elijah. They walked to the head of the room, where various pots of delicious-smelling food were sitting behind short, glass barriers. Along the way, the pair noticed curious looks being thrown at them by some of the toms. They ignored them and kept walking.

When they finally got to their destination, Elijah motioned for them to take a bowl and spoon from stacks on a small table near the food, as he took one of each himself. He looked over his shoulder at the pair as he ladled some steaming-hot stew into his bowl. "Pigeon stew's on the menu today. Ever had it?"He asked as 'Jerrie and 'Teazer shook their heads no. He smirked as he waited for them to get their food. "You'll like it. C'mon, I see some of my friends. I'll introduce you to them."He explained as he led them to a near-by table where about six average-looking toms sat, talking and laughing. They waved him over and greeted him heartily as he, 'Jerrie, and 'Teazer sat down with them.

A red and white tom spoke up. "Hey, Elijah! We haven't seen you all day! What have ya been up to with these rookies?" He asked as he motioned his head toward the calicos who were eating their meal.

Elijah shrugged in response. "Showing them the basics. Guys, this is Rumpleteazer," he motioned his paw to 'Teazer, "and that's Mungojerrie. I expect you guys to treat them both fairly and make them feel at home."He said as 'Jerrie and 'Teazer waved in greeting.

A brown and black-striped tom cocked an eyebrow at them. "You guys aren't twins, are you? You look pretty much the damn same to me!"He shouted over the noise of the other cats.

'Jerrie shook his head no as one of the taller toms leaned in. "Elijah, we _expect_ you told them the dagger story. No cat should ever be deprived of _that_ legend. If you say to me that you didn't tell them yet, I will personally-"His rant got cut off as the black tom cuffed him across his temple.

"Of course I told them, Axel! Why the hell wouldn't I?"Elijah asked as his friends nodded in approval. Axel quickly recovered as he quickly shot another question at him.

"We heard what happened with Jake today. Is it true? Did you really break his jaw? I heard he had to go to the Healer and get his jaw reset, but you know how quickly rumors can spread around here. I want to hear it from you."Axel smirked at his friend, expecting the honest truth.

Elijah put his hands up in surrender. "Ok, I admit I got a little riled up this morning when he was talking about 'Teazer like she was some sort of disease. You know how I get when someone insults a queen-"He was interrupted when a dark gray tom scoffed and laughed.

"You're _such_ a queen's tom..."He muttered as the red and white tom beside him ribbed him and told him to shut up. The dark gray tom quieted down and ducked his head.

Elijah cleared his throat and continued. "Anyway, I gave him a good few punches for that, and I'm pretty sure I broke his nose. Not so sure about his jaw, though. He had a bloody nose by the time I was finished with him. That should teach the damn bastard not to mess with me when it comes to queens."He finished as his friends leaned forward with interest.

'Jerrie felt like he should chip in. After all, he was as much of a witness as Elijah was. "Ya shoulda seen 'im, goiys! Oi was on top o' tha' bed column, and Oi felt tha' bed shake even from up tha'! Scray thin', Oi'm tellin ya."He said as the other toms turned their heads toward him.

They smiled and nodded like they shared the same feeling. Seeing Elijah take his anger out on another cat never failed to give anyone a fright. "We've all seen it, at one time or another. Makes for a good show if you happen to be in the right place at the right time. Do you guys plan to go to the bar tomorrow? We're all going at sundown. Did Elijah tell you where his favourite bar is?"The brown and black-stripped tom asked.

The calico pair shook their heads and the other toms mock-gasped and narrowed their eyes at Elijah, who remained emotionless. "In my defense, I planned to take them once they completed their first mission. But I guess taking them for an initiation drink or two won't hurt."He looked to 'Jerrie and 'Teazer, who nodded their heads excitedly.

"That makes nine of us then. You're going to love the Red Sapphire. Queens, good music, and the best whiskey in the city. We're going to break a few hearts tomorrow, boys! Maybe we'll even get to see a bar fight, if we're lucky!"Axel hooted as his friends cheered and gathered up their empty bowls. They placed them on top of a garbage can and made their way out of the cafeteria. Elijah, 'Jerrie, and 'Teazer stayed sitting.

'Teazer cocked her head at Elijah. "Queens? Break a few 'earts? Whot's tha' supposed ta mean?"She asked, completely confused. Even 'Jerrie was as clueless as she was.

Elijah sipped his stew silently, biding his time. It was almost like he was afraid to reply. After some prompting from 'Jerrie, he gave in. He glanced over both shoulders like he did earlier to make sure no one was listening. He leaned in and spoke in a low whisper so only 'Jerrie and 'Teazer could hear. "When my buddies and I go out, we like to check out the local dating scene...which is where the queens come in. If we get drunk, and we usually do, things could easily heat up, if you know what I mean. The queens around here are bad, just like the toms...In more than one way. I don't know if I should expose you, 'Teazer, to that so soon, especially since you're still sick. We're also notorious for being players. I've had my fair share of queenfriends, let me tell you. I don't think I've ever kept one for longer than a week before dumping her and breaking her heart. I've become desensitized to their crying and sadness, though. It doesn't hurt as much as it used to."He glanced at the two calico cats in front of him to gauge their reactions.

'Teazer looked appalled while her brother high-fived Elijah from across the table, snickering. "Tha's impressive! Maybe ya could teach moi a few pick-up lines so Oi can get some action moiself?"He yelped as his sister hit his arm. "Whot was tha' fo'?"He asked, shooting her a glare.

"Fo' bein' a jerk in front o' ya sistah! Ya don' think Oi'm scared o' goin' now? Whot'll 'appen ta moi, bein' a queen?"'Teazer returned the glare as 'Jerrie backed down.

He shook his head and slung an arm across her shoulders. "'Teazah, 'Teazah, 'Teazah... Ya know Oi'll protect ya from those nasty toms! Don' worreh!"He chuckled as she tossed his arm off.

She wasn't convinced. "Oh, yeah? An' whot if ya get drunk yaself? _Then_ whot, 'Jer?"She huffed, crossing her arms over her chest on irritation.

Elijah decided he had to step in before this turned into a full-blown fight in public. "Ok, both of you stop it. I'll be the responsible one here and make sure I won't get drunk tomorrow night so I can be a back-up for 'Jerrie if he does decide to get tipsy. Happy?"He smirked as 'Teazer nodded and 'Jerrie rolled his eyes.

With the conversation over, the trio picked up their empty bowls and set them on the garbage can like the toms had before them. They could tell it was getting late, as only a select few cats were still hanging around, getting ready for cleaning duty. Instead of leading them to the right, back to the henchcats' sleeping area, he led them to the left and down the hall where the higher-ups slept.

'Jerrie and 'Teazer had already figured out where they were going: Elijah's room. They stopped just a few doors shy of the end of the hall. Elijah turned the brass doorknob and ushered them inside. He flicked a switch and the two light bulbs dangling from the ceiling blinked to life, casting light all around the room. 'Jerrie and 'Teazer took in the room before sitting on Elijah's thin mattress that was held up by a sturdy, wooden bed frame. The room was covered in brick, just like the hall outside, but it looked cozier. A half-shattered mirror was propped up against the far wall on a chewed up ebony desk than looked like it would fall apart if touched.

Elijah sat on a simple chair of the same material. "Home, sweet home. Come here if you ever need anything after you guys are on your own, or if you just want to talk. Just remember the room number: 27. How do you like it?"He asked, motioning his arms to the whole room.

'Teazer giggled. "Oi think it's quoite cozy. Much bettah than where 'Jer an' Oi sleep. An' quoietah."She said as she let out a yawn.

"You're tired. Let's go back to the barracks, shall we?"Elijah asked as he stood up. He got confused looks from both of his calico friends.

"Your sleeping area. That's what we call it, the barracks. Quite fitting, actually. Let's go."Elijah said as he opened the door. 'Jerrie and 'Teazer nodded and followed him back to the "barracks". Once they got there, he bid them goodnight as they climbed the ladder up to their respective beds. Elijah picked up the blanket that had fallen off of 'Teazer's bed earlier and tossed it back up to her. Even though she did a good job of hiding it, he knew she was still sick, and that she needed the blanket, regardless of her protests.

He then made his way to the front of the room like last night while the remaining toms hurried to their beds. Once he saw that they were all in bed, he cleared his throat. "Lights out, everyone! Get to sleep! I don't want to hear a word out of anyone!"He boomed as he shut off the lights. When everything was dark, he pushed one of the heavy metal doors open and headed off to his own room to go to sleep himself.


	4. Going Out

Disclaimer: I don't own Cats, but I own Elijah.

**A/N: Drunk cats, anyone? That's what this chappie has in it! So I guess I don't need to warn you about how this chapter has alcohol abuse mixed with some sexual content and a splash of violence, then? Great! On with the show!  
><strong>

The night of the trip to the bar had finally come. All day Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer couldn't sit still because the thought of going out with their new friends excited them too much. It was all the harder for Elijah to make them sit down long enough on the floor of the barracks to tell them about what kinds of missions they'd be doing once they were strong and healthy enough, before they burst out laughing from excitement and interrupted him once more.

Just when ever-so-patient Elijah thought he was going to snap and give them both a well-deserved whack upside the head, he stole a glance at the sky beyond the barracks window and saw that it was stained with pink, orange, and purple as the sun had began to set. He knew his friends would be waiting for them by now. He stood up and stretched after sitting down for so long. 'Jerrie and 'Teazer grinned happily at each other; they knew it was time. They calmed down enough to compose themselves somewhat, so they wouldn't look like _complete_ fools in front of their new friends. The pair followed Elijah out of the large room and down the hall to the right, toward the jail cells. They passed the second-in-command's room and stopped at a door marked "emergency exit". 'Jerrie and 'Teazer recognized this as the door they had come through when they first arrived at the hideout not too long ago.

Before pushing the door open, however, Elijah turned around to face the calico pair. "Just one more thing before we go. If _anyone_ gets into a bar fight; run. I don't want anyone getting caught by a Pollicle, understand? 'Jerrie, you can leave. Everyone's waiting outside on the street. Just tell them I had to talk to 'Teazer for a minute, ok?"He instructed. The calico tom nodded and headed out the door.

'Teazer turned to Elijah and furrowed her brow in confusion. "Whot is it, Eloijah? Is somethin' wrong?"She asked, cocking her head at the black tom.

Elijah shifted from foot to foot, unsure of how to begin. After a moment of awkward silence, he gathered his thoughts and spoke. "No, not really. Everything's fine, it just...'Teazer, you've never been to a bar, right?"He asked, snapping his head up to look at her. He just realized he had been staring at the ground. 'Teazer shook her head and Elijah groaned inwardly, dreading what he was about to say.

"Have you ever been around a drunken tom before?"He asked again, beating around the bush.

Again the calico queen shook her head. She raised an eyebrow at him, getting slightly irritated. "No, 'Jerrie's nevah gotten drunk a noight in 'is loife. 'E's awlways kept moi away from drunk toms. Eloijah, where ah' ya goin' with this?"Why was he asking these strange questions? She paused and thought for a moment before catching on. She narrowed her eyes at him accusingly. "Wait, is it because Oi'm a _queen_? Is tha' it? Eloijah, Oi 'eard ya were a ladies' tom, bu' Oi nevah thought ya'd be _sexist_! If ya didn' wont moi ta go, ya shouldda jus' said so!"'Teazer exclaimed, her voice cracking a bit. Her bottom lip started to quiver slightly as her shoulders started to tremble.

Elijah knew she was near tears. _"Bast, Elijah! You made her take it the wrong way! Damn, how do I fix this? I never want to see a queen cry, but it's not the first time, so why do I feel so terrible?"_ He thought while he racked his brain for a way to fix the mess he had just created. He put his paws on her shaking shoulders and looked her straight in the eye. "'Teazer, it's not because you're a queen-well actually-it is. I just don't want you to be a target at the bar. To be honest, I feel uneasy about taking you. I know your brother does, too. Bad things happen to new and inexperienced queens at bars. Believe me, I've seen it. But I also believe you can hold your own, what with all the time you've spent living on the street, and I promise I'll do my best to keep you safe at that bar. If you do get in any trouble, come straight to me or yell my name as loud as you can. Understand?"He finished as he tried his best to give her a reassuring smile.

'Teazer's harsh expression softened as she thought over what he just said. "Oi undahstand. Oi'll keep moi eyes an' ears open fo' any soigns o' trouble. Let's go, shall we? Oi bet they're wonderin' whot's takin' us so long. Sorreh fo' jumpin' ta conclusions."She gave him a small smile and pushed the door open while Elijah nodded and let out a sigh of relief before following her. They felt their way down the narrow, pitch-black alley before emerging out on the sidewalk, looking out onto the dark, quiet street. Elijah noticed his friends huddled in a group on the corner and pulled 'Teazer towards them.

They arrived as 'Jerrie popped his head up from the group and smiled at them. The rest of the toms looked up to see what had caught his attention, and waved the pair over.

One tom, Axel, let out an exaggerated sigh of relief as Elijah and 'Teazer stopped in front of the group. "We were just about to leave without you guys! Now that we have everyone here, let's go before all the good queens are taken!"He shouted as the other toms burst into excited whoops and laughter. They walked for about fifteen minutes before turning into an inconspicuous alley and walking single-file down it. From her place at the back of the line, she noticed they were walking towards a faint, red glow. Only when they were right in front of the establishment did she notice that the red glow was coming from a large, partially lit neon sign above the glass doors of the bar that read, "T.H. -. R. -. D. S. -. P. P. H. -. R. -.". 'Teazer assumed that this was "The Red Sapphire" that the toms had been talking about yesterday. Glancing through the glass doors, she noticed that everyone was walking inside. She hurried to catch up before they left her behind.

Once inside, she took a moment to take everything in. It was much hotter than she had expected, but that was mostly likely because of the body heat coming off the dozens of other cats crowded in the small,dimly lit space. The smell of delicious food mixed with nicotine from the cigarettes some cats were smoking wafted throughout the room. At the head of the room was a long counter and behind it was a huge wooden shelf stocked with every size and shape of glass and bottle she could have ever imagined. Eight or so cats sat at this counter on tall stools, quietly sipping their drinks and chatting with their neighbour. A cat stood behind the counter, polishing glasses with a white rag. Surrounding the long counter were about five round, wooden tables, each with cats playing cards or talking amongst themselves. Most of them were smoking or had a beer bottle in paw.

'Teazer looked to the sides of the room where she saw a few miss-matched couches of different shapes and colours lining the walls. She grimaced as she saw that on these couches were pairs of toms and queens passionately making out with each other and doing other...sensual things that made her give a small shudder. She gratefully turned her attention away from them and to the middle of the room, where whoever wasn't sitting at a table was dancing to the music that hammered on her ears. The sheer volume of the bass in the song resonated throughout her body and made it feel hollow. She could tell it was some kind of a rock song.

She suddenly felt a paw on her shoulder, startling her out of her trance. Whipping around, she saw 'Jerrie smiling back at her. She relaxed as he pointed to the head of the room where the rest of the group had gone. Assuming he couldn't hear her over the loud music, 'Teazer simply nodded to signify she understood, and let him lead her to the far counter.

They weaved through numerous cats as they made their way through the crowd, occasionally earning angry glares from a tom or two. Once they finally arrived at their destination, 'Jerrie casually waved the bartender over and ordered two shots of whiskey.

"That'll be $10.00, sir."The bartender shouted over the music as he brought out two small, ornately frosted glasses from underneath the counter and a clear bottle of whiskey. 'Jerrie looked around frantically as he realized he had no money. The bartender raised an eyebrow at him as he poured the drinks. "Is there a problem, sir?"He asked in monotone as 'Jerrie's ears drooped and he nodded yes.

'Teazer felt someone clap a paw on her shoulder and she whirled around in her seat to face the owner of the paw. Being in a completely new and unfamiliar environment with only a couple toms she knew made her a little skittish and hyper-alert to her surroundings. The talk she had with Elijah earlier only added to her skittishness. She let out a tiny sigh of relief when her brown eyes met Elijah's calming blue ones.

He smiled kindly at both 'Jerrie and 'Teazer as he placed a ten-dollar bill in front of the bartender, which he took and placed in his waistcoat pocket without a word. 'Jerrie hunched over and sipped his drink silently, too embarrassed to look up.

Elijah chuckled and leaned in so they could hear him without him having to shout over the music. "Don't worry, it's on me tonight. Just don't order too many; I don't have infinite cash."He chuckled again and 'Teazer caught a whiff of alcohol in his breath. She glanced down at his other paw and saw that it held a dark bottle of beer.

'Teazer felt a pang of nervousness in the pit of her stomach as she thought of the promise he made her yesterday evening and just before they came. _"Oi wondah 'ow many 'e's 'ad since we got 'ere...'E bettah keep 'is promise an' not get drunk..."_She thought as she looked up at him, scrutinizing his face. His eyes and ears were alert, and he wasn't tipsy like she'd seen other drunk toms. No, his feet were still planted firmly on the ground and he looked perfectly sober.

Elijah turned his head to look at 'Jerrie as he muttered something 'Teazer couldn't hear over the noise. She saw 'Jerrie nod and stand up while Elijah took his place. 'Jerrie picked his drink up and leaned in toward 'Teazer. "Oi'll be ovah at tha' table there playin' blackjack if ya need moi. Eloijah will keep ya companeh whoile Oi'm gone."He said as 'Teazer shook her head and smirked at him. She knew 'Jerrie wouldn't pass up a good blackjack game for the world. 'Jerrie returned the smirk and patted her shoulder before walking off and becoming lost in the crowd.

She turned her head to Elijah when he elbowed her to get her attention. He leaned in again so he wouldn't have to yell. "How do you like it here? Great place, huh?"He asked, taking a swing of his beer.

'Teazer wrinkled her nose as the stench of alcohol entered her nostrils again. She hated the smell, but was too polite to complain about it. At least it told her that he hadn't drank _too_ much yet. "'Ow many o' those 'ave ya 'ad?"She motioned her paw to his beer bottle.

Elijah put his bottle down and wiped his paw across his mouth. "One..."He mumbled as he tried to keep a straight face. He failed miserably. 'Teazer narrowed her eyes at him. Elijah sighed and told her the truth. "Ok, fine, _two_. I _swear_. It takes me at least three to get tipsy. Don't worry, I'm still sober. Can you just answer my question, please?"He asked irritably. He hated it when others got on his case. Plus, it was very hard to lie to a queen without being caught. _"I swear she can see right through me. Lying isn't going to get me anywhere tonight. Or is it...?"_He thought as he eyed a cream and gold queen as she sauntered by. He was about to go after her when he remembered 'Teazer. _"Oh, I can't just leave her all alone here. But..."_He stared longingly after the queen that just passed by.

'Teazer noticed his attention was caught by something else and followed his gaze. She smirked as she took a sip of her whiskey. It tasted bittersweet, but she could get used to it. It also perked her up a bit, as she found out a few seconds later when she felt a little more energy had come into her body. It felt good. She looked back at Elijah who was still staring after the queen. She tapped his shoulder and he turned his attention to her instead. "Ya can go aftah 'er. Oi don' moind. Realleh."She encouraged him with a smile.

Elijah raised an eyebrow at her, making sure she wasn't joking. Her smiling face told him she wasn't. "Are you sure? I don't want to leave you by yourself."He stated, taking another swing of his drink.

But 'Teazer was set on her decision. "Oi'll be awlroight. 'Jerrie's ovah there, so if aneh trouble comes, e's there. Ya deserve ta 'ave some fun yaself, Eloijah. Don' worreh 'bout moi."She shooed him off with her paw as she kept the other on her glass.

Reluctantly, Elijah sighed and slid off the stool. With one last encouraging nod from the calico queen, he left her to catch up with the beautiful stranger that had just passed him by a few minutes ago. Inside, though, he was glad she let him go. _"She'll be fine. She's got 'Jerrie close by, and she can take care of herself."_He convinced his worried mind as he walked up behind the cream and gold queen and tapped her shoulder. All his worries left him when she turned around to face him. _"Bast, she's gorgeous. This is going to be a good night."_He thought as he got his charm on and introduced himself.

Meanwhile, back at the counter, 'Teazer was left to herself. She sipped her whiskey quietly and tried not to look like a "new and inexperienced queen" as Elijah put it. Of course her skittishness soon took over and she found it hard to relax. Being alone only made it worse. _"Oi nevah shouldda let 'im go...This whiskey's messin' with moi 'ead. Damn whiskey..."_She thought as she started nervously tapping her foot on one of the bottom supports of her stool. _"Stop it! Ya'll look loike a ta'get, jus' loike Eloijah said! Oh, Oi wish 'Jer was 'ere! Bu' Oi don' wont ta ruin 'is blackjack game..."_She glanced over her shoulder at the table where her brother was sitting. The tiger-striped tom had his back to her, but she noticed he always had one ear turned in her direction. That gave her some relief. She finished her drink and blinked rapidly a few times as the extra alcohol took effect. She noticed she wasn't as alert as before, and that her senses and mind were slightly dulled. She didn't like it. Was she getting drunk?

She pushed the empty glass away as the bartender passed by and took it from her. He offered to refill it, but she refused. One was more than enough for her. She rested her head on her paws and gazed up at the sparkling glasses and kaleidoscope of various bottles on the huge shelf behind the counter. Lost in the simple beauty of the shining glasses, she didn't notice someone come up behind her.

When she felt a paw on her shoulder, she assumed it was Elijah or 'Jerrie, so she didn't react as she waited for the tom to sit down. Only, no one sat down on the empty stool beside her. By now, she would be worried, but the effect the alcohol had on her slowed her mind down. She shrugged it off as someone who just accidentally bumped into her.

But when the paw slid around her back and she felt someone draping their arm across her shoulders, the effect of the alcohol disappeared and she became hyper-alert once more. She stiffened and out of the corner of her eye, she saw that the paw was larger than 'Jerrie's or Elijah's and that it was brown and white. She slowly turned her head to get a look at the tom, and saw that he was smiling like an idiot while he was swayed a bit on his feet.

"Hey, kitten...How 'bout you an' me make ourselves comfy on that couch over there...?"His speech was slow and slurred, and his breath reeked of alcohol. 'Teazer knew he was drunk, and that she was in trouble. _"Whot do Oi do? ...Eloijah! Where's Eloijah?"_She thought, remembering what he had told her. She stole a glance in the direction he had gone, and saw that he himself was getting comfortable with the cream and gold queen on a couch on the opposite of the room. Should she run? Scream? Her fear paralyzed her, so she couldn't move, no matter how much she wanted to. Her throat went dry and tight the minute the brown and white tom spoke to her. All she could do was try to ignore him, and hope that he went away once he realized she wasn't interested.

That wasn't to be the case, though. The tom leaned in and nuzzled her neck, making 'Teazer flinch and whimper. "Quiet queen...eh? Let's just see 'bout that..."He slurred as he moved his paw lower, around her chest. 'Teazer's growing fear sent her heart racing and made her stiffen even more.

She couldn't take it anymore; she _had_ to do something. Drawing on the self-defense skills 'Jerrie had taught her last month, she clenched her fist and delivered a punch to the tom's head with all her might. The tom let go of her and recoiled, hissing. 'Teazer seized the opportunity and fled from the tom, towards 'Jerrie. But the brown and white tom wasn't going down that easily. Before 'Teazer could take so many as three steps, the tom grabbed her wrist and pulled her back to him.

"Playin' hard to get, are we?"The brown and white tom purred seductively, having no problem holding on to the struggling calico queen.

'Teazer's previous fear came back to her, and out of desperation, she yelled the first thing that came to her mind. "Eloijah!"She screamed as loud as her fear would let her. From across the room, she saw his black head snap up and turn in her direction. His blue eyes locked onto her and she caught a glimpse of his white teeth as he bared them and started running towards her, roughly thrusting aside any cat aside that got in his way.

Before the brown and white tom dragged her off towards the couches lining the side of the room, she saw Elijah grab 'Jerrie's arm and point to her. Then she felt her arm being yanked and she stumbled backwards, still struggling to get out of the tom's grasp. But he was too strong, and she was getting tired. She was thrown on the couch, and suddenly felt his paw at her back, much lower than she would have expected. He pinned her against the couch with the weight of his body, and she couldn't move as he started running his other paw down her chest.

But the tom didn't get very far as he was unexpectedly forced off of her. "Don't touch her!"Elijah barked as he grabbed the tom by the scruff of his neck and hurled him into the crowd. The crowd backed away from the stumbling tom and formed a circle around him and Elijah, eager for a fight. Elijah's hackles rose as a threatening hiss escaped his lips. He knew the tom was at least twice his size, but nevertheless, he relentlessly began throwing rapid combinations of punches and kicks at him, determined to do some payback. The drunken tom didn't stand a chance. He got thrown around like a ragdoll as each of Elijah's hits made contact.

'Teazer huddled against the couch in fear of what she just experienced. The cheering crowd and fighting toms didn't help ease her fear. A pair of tiger-striped arms encircled her as she caught a whiff of 'Jerrie's scent. She calmed down a bit and gazed up at her brother, who was looking down at her with concern in his emerald-green eyes.

"Ah' ya awlroight, 'Teaze? Did 'e 'urt ya?"'Jerrie asked as he checked her over for injuries. Luckily, he found none. 'Teazer was shaking like a leaf, though, so he hugged her tightly in an effort to calm her down. He felt her relax a bit as Elijah came back to them, his blue eyes feral and angry.

They softened as he calmed himself down. "Your turn. I left him standing so you could have a go at him. I'll take over for you."He offered as 'Jerrie nodded and let go of 'Teazer. Elijah took his place and circled his own arms around the shaking calico queen as 'Jerrie stood and stalked up to the brown and white tom. They both watched as the calico tom punched him in the head and sent him reeling. The brown and white tom stumbled and fell to the floor as 'Jerrie continued to kick him unconscious. When he has satisfied the brown and white tom wouldn't move anytime soon, he gave one last hiss and made his way back to the couch.

Elijah nodded in approval and 'Teazer smiled at her brother, back to her normal self. 'Jerrie motioned his head toward the door and the pair nodded, happy they were finally leaving. Elijah released 'Teazer and helped her up as they weaved their way through the crowd of cats and out the door. They walked back to the hideout in silence as they each mulled over what just happened.

When they reached the door to the hideout, Elijah pulled it open and ushered his friends inside before he stepped inside himself and locked it behind him. He turned to the calico pair and broke the silence that had enveloped them the whole way back. "Well that was quite an adventure. I had fun beating up that tom. I don't think we'll have any trouble from him anytime soon; right 'Jerrie?"He raised an eyebrow at the calico tom.

'Jerrie nodded, smirking. "Roight. Ah' ya sure you're awlroight, 'Teaze? We weren' too late, were we?"He asked, glancing worriedly at his sister.

'Teazer shook her head and her brother and Elijah sighed in relief. "Ya came jus' in toime. Thanks a million. Oi don' wanna know whot would 'ave 'appened if ya didn' come."She said softly as she gave a small shudder.

Elijah yawned and motioned his paw toward the barracks. "Let's call it a night. I'm so glad we have a day off tomorrow. I'll probably sleep 'till noon, no joke. You'll be fine until I come find you at lunch, right? He asked as 'Jerrie and 'Teazer nodded and started walking. Elijah followed and bid them goodnight as they headed their separate ways toward their respective beds. He knew it way past "lights out" for the henchcats, so it was most likely already dark in the barracks.

Elijah unlocked the door to his room and stepped inside, not even bothering to turn the light on. He undid his belt and let it fall to the floor with a soft _thud_. He plopped himself on his half-decent mattress and laid down, closing his eyes. As tired as he was, he just couldn't fall asleep.

The events from the bar just kept replaying over and over in his head. He knew something like this would happen, he just _knew_ it. He mentally kicked himself for leaving 'Teazer alone in favor of his lust for queens. _"If I had stayed with her, this never would have happened."_He thought as the memories of the fight came back to him. He had been surprised by the sheer feeling of fury, fear, and overwhelming urge to protect 'Teazer when he saw her being dragged off by that drunken tom. _"What was that other feeling, though?"_He remembered the small, but powerful sensation of desperation that felt like it was tugging on his heart when he saw the fear in 'Teazer's eyes and the way she shouted his name. _"Eloijah!"_It echoed in his mind, and that tugging on his heart came back for a few seconds before fading with the memory. A tiny, almost inaudible voice in the furthest corner of his mind told him, _"love"_. He was mentally caught off guard at the notion.

"_What? That's preposterous! I can't be in love with 'Teazer; it's forbidden, impossible! I bet that's just the booze talking. Ugh, it's getting to my head making me think crazy, stupid things again. Maybe it's a sign I'm going to have a bad hangover tomorrow morning?"_He smiled slightly to himself as he let his exhaustion finally pull him into a deep sleep.


	5. More Training

Disclaimer: I own Elijah, but not Cats.

**A/N: Gosh, I just love to make bad things happen to 'Teazer, don't I? First getting sick, then the fall, then the bar incident from last chappie? But really, guys, I love 'Teazer. She's awesome! She's just...in the wrong place. I mean, Macavity's hideout isn't exactly a good place, now is it? To change it up a bit, I'll make some bad things happen to other characters this time. ****But that doesn't mean I'll completely let up on 'Teazer *mhua ha ha ha ha!* Warning: there is some swearing and violence in this chapter!**

"_What's that weird feeling in my arm?"_Elijah thought groggily as he slowly came out of his deep sleep. The excitement at the bar last night left him sleeping like he was dead, and it took him a while before he was fully awake. His slight hangover only helped to cloud his mind even more. As a result, the slight pricking feeling in his right forearm didn't really alert him to anything that was about to go wrong, so he just shrugged it off as nothing. _"My arm's probably just asleep..."_ He thought as he rolled over. The slight prick in his forearm suddenly exploded into searing pain that tore through his arm, making him cry out and hastily sit up.

In his now half-conscious world, he looked down at his throbbing forearm and saw that a thin, but deep gash had appeared in it, and that it was bleeding quite a bit. He glanced at the spot where his arm was, and noticed that a sharp, rusty spring had managed to poke itself through his mattress. As if to provide more proof, he squinted at it and saw that a tiny piece of his fur was stuck to it. It was also dripping a little with his blood.

Groaning inwardly, he clutched his bleeding arm and stumbled over to his dresser, where he kept a roll of gauze and disinfectant in the top drawer. He pulled it open with his good arm and brought the gauze out. He didn't bother with the disinfectant, he would probably just end up spilling it anyway. Hastily wrapping the gauze around his forearm, he tied it off and threw it back in the drawer. Shaking his head vigorously to wake himself up, he inspected his work. _"It'll do for now. Not perfect, but it'll hold."_He thought as he picked his belt up off the floor and fastened it. He winced as he put tension on his injured arm, but he ignored it. "Suck it up. Don't be a wimp."He told himself.

With his belt on, he headed out the door, locking it behind him. Taking a deep breath to try and clear his head once more, he walked down to the cafeteria in hopes of finding his charges.

He got lucky. Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer were just about to walk into the cafeteria. "Hey! Guys, wait up!"Elijah shouted as he broke into a jog. 'Jerrie and 'Teazer turned their heads in his direction and smiled as he caught up with them. Their smiles faded, however, when they noticed his bandaged forearm.

'Jerrie was the first to comment. "'Ey, Eloijah...Uhh, whot's up with ya arm...? Ya didn't get 'urt at tha' bar last noight, did ya?"He asked, motioning his head to Elijah's arm.

Elijah looked at him mock-surprise, like he didn't know what he was talking about. "Wha-Oh! This? Yeah, I caught my arm on a loose spring while I was waking up. It's just a scratch, nothing to be worried about."He shrugged non-chalantly. Truth was, it was the exact opposite. His arm throbbed and stung like hell. But he wasn't going to tell _them_ that.

'Teazer wasn't buying it. She kept her eyes locked on Elijah's as he did the same with her. When she was sure she had his full attention, she swiftly stepped forward and gently tapped his bandaged arm before she broke eye contact. She stepped back as Elijah instinctively recoiled from her, letting out a pained hiss.

'Teazer gave a satisfied smirk as Elijah composed himself once more. "Jus' as Oi thought. It 'urts badly, doesn' it? Tha' slipshod bandaging ya did isn' goin' ta 'elp anyone. Ya got tha' in ya room, roight?"She asked, pointing to the gauze.

Elijah narrowed his eyes at her but nodded. "_What does she know about bandaging wounds?"_He thought as 'Jerrie and 'Teazer started walking down the hall. He decided to speak his thoughts. "What do you know about bandaging wounds, 'Teazer?"His tone came out a little harsher than he expected.

'Jerrie answered for his sister. "She knows more 'bout takin' care o' injuries than ya moight expect. Don' worreh, she'll 'ave ya fixed up in no toime. Ummm...numbah 27, was it?"He asked as he stopped in front of said door. Elijah nodded and unlocked the door with his good paw. He pushed it open and turned on the light as the calicos followed.

"Sit. Stay. Where is ya' gauze an' disinfectant?"'Teazer asked as she plopped Elijah down on his bed. 'Jerrie stood by the door and smiled proudly as his sister went to work.

Elijah obediently pointed to his dresser. "Top drawer. Rags are in the second one."He stated as 'Teazer nodded. She went to the dresser and fished out the roll of gauze, the dark bottle of disinfectant, and a clean brown rag.

She walked back and set the bottle and gauze on the floor as she knelt down and placed the rag on her lap. Gingerly taking Elijah's injured forearm, she fiddled with the knot in an attempt to untie it. "Bast, whot did ya _do_? This is tha' weirdes' knot Oi've evah seen!"She muttered as she resolved to bite the knot in two to untie it.

Elijah rolled his eyes at her as she began unwrapping the gauze. "I was half-asleep when I did this, you know."He said sarcastically as his wound began to reveal itself. He winced as 'Teazer put a little pressure on his arm.

She instantly stopped unwrapping and looked up at him, searching his eyes for any sign of pain. "Ah' ya awlroight?"She asked sincerely. Elijah nodded, allowing her to continue.

Once she was done with the old gauze, she flung it away and reached for the disinfectant. She poured some of it on the rag and dabbed Elijah's wound with it. He instinctively withdrew his arm when it began to sting as the disinfectant took effect.

'Teazer quickly snatched it back and held it in place with one paw as she whacked his shoulder with the other. "Do tha' again an' it'll be ya' 'ead."She warned as Elijah let her clean his wound. He heard 'Jerrie snickering and he gave him a hiss to shut him up. 'Teazer quickly whacked him again, this time on the head.

"Ow! What was that for?"Elijah complained, making 'Jerrie snicker even louder.

'Teazer didn't look up from her work as she wrapped the new gauze around his arm. "Fo' hissin' at moi brothah. 'Jerrie, shu' up. Oi'm troiyin' ta work."She scolded her brother as 'Jerrie mock-coughed and shut his mouth. "There. Done. Tha' wasn' so 'ard, now was it?"She smiled up at Elijah as he inspected her work.

"Not bad, not bad at all. Thanks. Can we go eat now? I'm hungry."Elijah said as he picked up the rag and bottle and placed them back in their respective drawers. He took the gauze from 'Teazer and tossed it in the top one. 'Jerrie opened the door and stepped out while his sister and Elijah followed. The black tom locked the door and the trio headed to the cafeteria.

Just like yesterday, they met up with Elijah's friends, who gave him and 'Jerrie congratulatory pats and claps on their shoulders as they sat down. It was obvious they didn't miss one bit of the fight they had with the drunken tom last night.

The red and white tom piped up. "That was insane, what happened last night! I thought you two were going to kill the tom! Remind me to never get in the way of either of you and Rumpleteazer..."He finished in a quieter tone. The other toms all nodded in agreement around the table.

"You were angrier than I've ever seen you, 'Lij! What was going through your head when you saw Rumpleteazer being dragged off by that tom?"A black and white tom asked, leaning in.

Elijah glared at him, and he shrunk back. "Don't call me that."His tone was harsh, and his eyes cold as ice. His expression softened as he thought about how to answer his friend's question. "I just couldn't bear the thought of 'Teazer getting hurt, or worse, on my watch. I felt this inexplicable urge to protect her, and that's what drove me to give that bastard all I had."He stated simply as he smiled at 'Teazer, who smiled back.

Axel, who was sitting beside Elijah, elbowed him in the ribs and he smirked knowingly at the other toms at the table, who quickly caught on and started smirking as well. "So...to put it bluntly, you protected her because you _like_ her! Wait 'till Mac' hears about this!"He hooted as the other toms whooped and laughed.

"Oh, that's it! You're in for it now!"Elijah pinned his ears against his head and quick as a snake, he tackled Axel to the ground and wrestled with him while letting out a string of curses that made 'Teazer blush a bit. When he finally got Axel pinned, he let out a final, menacing hiss that made the tom laugh even more.

"Ha! I knew it! You can't deny it now, Elijah!"Axel said between chuckles as Elijah let him up. They both sat down again as the other toms quieted down. They all ate their food in silence for a few minutes as they gave Elijah and Axel a chance to cool off.

Except for 'Jerrie and 'Teazer, the other toms stole curious glances at Elijah's bandaged arm. Just when one of them was about to speak up, 'Teazer spoke for him.

"Ya'll nevah guess whot 'appened ta Eloijah's arm!"She stared smugly at Elijah, who snapped his head up and returned her stare with one that seemed to say, _"Don't tell them! Please don't tell them!"_. Of course, she ignored his silent plea and eyed the toms around her, hoping for a guess.

A brown and black-striped tom took a shot. "Uhh...That tom smashed a beer bottle on his arm last night?"He pouted as 'Teazer shook her head.

She decided to give them another hint, much to Elijah's dismay. "It 'appened jus' before tha' beginnin' o' lunch."She said as the toms thought some more.

"...We got nothing. Tell us."The red and white tom smirked as Elijah buried his head in his arms, waiting for the embarrassment to come.

'Teazer leaned forward so no one else could hear but them. "'E caught it on a loose spring on 'is bed! A _spring_, can ya believe it? Left a nasteh gash tha' Oi treated fo' 'im."She beamed as the toms around her burst into laughter, including 'Jerrie.

As they calmed down, Axel spoke up. "Unbelievable! Elijah, the tom who can take on a cat twice his size and _win_, got done in by a spring? That's rich!"He laughed as he got up and placed his plate on a near-by garbage can. "Let's go guys; we're on scavenging duty tonight. Gotta keep the place fed!"He added as the toms all groaned in unison and copied him, before heading out.

Elijah finally peeked out from his arm once it got quiet around the table. "Are they gone?"He asked as he raised his head, answering his own question. "Damn, that was terrible. It's payback time now. C'mon, let's go to the barracks."He said as he stood up and put his plate with the others and walked down the aisle, not bothering to wait for his calico friends. 'Jerrie and 'Teazer exchanged shrugs and put their plates on the growing pile before following the black tom.

They soon caught up with him at the barracks' doors. Elijah wordlessly heaved one open and held it for them as they walked inside. The room was largely empty, but there were a few groups of henchcats lying around, chatting. They paid no attention to the three as they walked by.

Elijah finally spoke as he stopped in an open, unoccupied space in the middle of the barracks floor. "Today we will be learning how to fight. I think you guys are now strong enough to take a few hits, no?"He didn't bother waiting for a response. "First rule of fighting: get in a fighting stance, and remember to _always_ keep your paws up. If I see you dropping your paws, I will give you a gentle tap on the head to remind you. Try it."He got into a fighting stance, with his left leg in front, and feet shoulder-width apart, with his paws up, protecting his head. 'Jerrie and 'Teazer imitated him perfectly.

"Good. Now let's try moving around. Don't cross your legs, always keep them shoulder-width apart."He instructed as he moved to the left, and the calicos copied him. He saw 'Teazer dropping her paws a bit, so he stepped forward quickly and tapped her on her head, causing her to flinch and keep her paws up. "Great reflexes! If we can turn that into a punch, you'd make a good fighter! Keep your paws up!"He complimented as he moved on to 'Jerrie. "Follow me...follow me, nice; always keep track of and move with your opponent. Stay a safe distance away from them at all times until you're ready to punch."He said as he circled 'Jerrie, who kept his eyes on him and moved with him.

Elijah stepped back to his place in front of them. "That was just the basics. Now let's move onto the fun part: punching. The punch I'll be teaching you today is the palm-strike, one of the most powerful ones. Hold your paw straight out in front of you and make it like you're about to high-five a friend."He held his left paw in front of him to show them.

Walking around behind them, he scrutinized their form. "Keep that right paw up 'Jerrie. Even when you're punching, you have to have one paw protecting your face."He gave him a tap on his head to remind him. Walking over to 'Teazer, he saw that she was doing it correctly. "Very good, now let's try a jab-cross combination."He said as he moved back to his place at the front.

Slowly, he stretched his left paw out in palm-strike form. "When doing a jab-cross combination, always start with your left paw, which is the jab. This sets up your right paw for its cross, or in other words, power-punch."He instructed as he brought his left paw back and turned his body as he followed through slowly with his right. "The power-punch is always done with the dominant paw, to get the most strength out of the punch. You use the momentum created by the jab to turn your body and strike with your right paw, delivering a powerful blow. Try it with me slowly, and then as we get used to it, we'll go faster."He said as he turned to the side so they could see how it was done.

"1-2, 1-2, 1-2, that's it! Keep it up!"Elijah complimented as he stopped and observed them. He turned his attention to 'Teazer, who was looking stiff. "'Teazer, turn your body. Watch me for a sec."He said as 'Teazer stopped to watch. "See how I'm turning my body with the punch? That's where the power comes from. Not from the arm itself. The _momentum_ created by the _body_ that's propelling that arm forward."He stated as 'Teazer nodded and copied him, rotating her body more with her power-punch.

"Awesome, now let's go faster. I don't want to see hesitation between punches!"Elijah reminded them as they increased the speed. "Keep it consistent, pace yourselves."He told them as he circled around them once again. After about 60 seconds, he saw that they were panting, so he held up a paw and they stopped. "Good, take a breather. Next you'll be practicing on me."He smirked as 'Teazer's eyes widened. He lay down on the floor and put his head on his paws as he closed his eyes. He wasn't even breaking a sweat, but he could still hear 'Jerrie and 'Teazer panting.

After a few minutes, Elijah heard their breathing return to normal, so he opened his eyes again. 'Jerrie and 'Teazer were sitting cross-legged in front of him, waiting. Elijah shook himself out and stood up, as his charges did the same. "Ready for more?"The black tom asked as 'Jerrie and 'Teazer nodded and got into their fighting stance.

Elijah smiled; his "students" were learning quickly. "Alright, now since my right arm is of no use today, I'll be using my left. Same technique applies to the left side: jab with the left, cross with the right. Keep your paws up and aim for my palm."He advised as he moved toward 'Teazer, keeping his left paw held out and his right protecting his face. He braced himself as 'Teazer delivered the two punches she had been taught. There wasn't much force behind them, much to Elijah's disappointment.

"C'mon, you scared? Hit me, as hard as you can!"He barked as 'Teazer flinched at the tone in his voice. "Don't be afraid 'Teazer, I'm not going to hit back. I'm your punching bag today. Give me all you've got."He reassured her in a softer tone. 'Teazer nodded and tried again. This time, he felt a good impact as she threw the punches at his paw. "Good, again. Harder this time."Elijah stated as 'Teazer focused and punched his paw. He actually took a step back from the force of the second blow. "Great, you've got it. One more time."Elijah complimented as he regained his fighting stance. Again, he was forced backward by the impact.

'Teazer stepped back, smiling. "Thanks. You're a grea' teachah."She replied as he moved on to 'Jerrie. 'Jerrie was strong right off the bat. His punches were much stronger than 'Teazer's, and Elijah was impressed at how much muscle he gained in the short time he'd been at the hideout.

"You're doing great 'Jerrie. One more time, and hit me like I'm an enemy."He encouraged as 'Jerrie punched him even harder. Elijah hissed as 'Jerrie's punches connected with his paw, and he tried his best to brace himself, but he was still forced back a few steps. "Nice, ok that's enough for today. I think you guys are good. Tomorrow we're learning kicks."Elijah dropped his paws and nodded, signifying the lesson was over.

'Jerrie and 'Teazer dropped their paws as well, happy to give their arms a rest. "Thanks fo' tha' lesson, Eloijah. Is it dinnah toime yet?"'Jerrie asked, glancing hopefully at the black tom.

Elijah turned around to look out the large window behind him. Surly enough, the sun was low in the sky. He turned back to 'Jerrie. "Yep, just about." He answered as he glanced around him. All the other cats were gone.

The trio walked out of the barracks and into the cafeteria, where the smell of rat meat soup wafted from. Getting a bowl and spoon, Elijah ladled some into his bowl and 'Jerrie and 'Teazer imitated him. They looked around for their usual group of friends, but they were nowhere in sight. "They must still be out scavenging..."Elijah told his friends as they walked over to a lesser-occupied table and sat down.

As Elijah sat down, he accidentally bumped into the tom next to him. "Sorry..."He muttered as the tom turned around. He felt his blood start to boil as he realized who the tom was: Jake. He instinctively pinned his ears against his head.

Jake eyed him slyly with a smirk. "Oh, hey Elijah." he spat as he surveyed 'Jerrie and 'Teazer. His acid yellow eyes rested on 'Teazer, who smiled kindly at him. "You must be that _disease_-ridden queen. I'm Jake."Jake sneered as 'Teazer's smile faded.

'Teazer crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. "Oh, ya mus' be the arithmetic tom; ya add trouble, subtract pleasah, divoide attention, an' multiploiy ignorance!"She retorted with a smirk.

Whoops and remarks of "you just got served" were heard around the table as Jake's friends were impressed by 'Teazer's comeback and Jake was taken aback. She earned high-fives from Elijah and 'Jerrie as they joined in.

Jake seethed with anger and embarrassment as his dark gray hackles rose. He wasn't used to being stood up by _anyone_. "You'll pay for that comment later, bitch..."He whispered darkly as he stood up and tried to stalk out of the room.

But 'Teazer wasn't finished. "Do ya 'ave ta leave so soon? Oi was jus' 'bout ta poison tha' watah!"She shouted after him as Jake gave a frustrated hiss in response and kept walking. The toms burst into laughter again.

The rest of the dinner was quiet as the trio finished their meal. Once they were done, it was already dark, so they headed off to bed. Elijah bid 'Jerrie and 'Teazer goodnight, and turned off the lights in the barracks once everyone was in bed. He walked swiftly back to his own room, and undid his belt before crawling into bed. He didn't bother locking his door, for he had been taught that if there was ever an emergency in the middle of the night, he needed to get out as quickly as possible. He fell asleep as soon as his head hit the mattress.

After what seemed like a few minutes, he suddenly felt himself being shaken awake. "Eloijah...Eloijah, _please_ wake up!"He vaguely recognized the pitch of the voice as a queen's and the accent as 'Teazer's. He reluctantly came out of his peaceful sleep and opened his eyes to find that it _was_ in fact 'Teazer who was shaking his shoulder.

He took a moment to focus his eyes as he sat up, yawning. "'Teazer, it's the _middle_ of the night! What-"His rant got cut short as he took in her trembling body and her red, puffy eyes. She also had tear streaks on her face. Even in the darkness, he noticed multiple bruises on her arms and torso. "'Teazer...? What's happened to you?"He asked softly as he reached a paw toward her, which she took as she burst into tears. She sat down on the mattress beside him and buried her head in his chest while she clutched his fur.

Just like the first time, Elijah wrapped his arms around her and tried to comfort her. "Shh...You're safe with me...Just let it all out."He crooned in the most soothing tone he could manage. He felt his fur getting wet with her tears, but he didn't care. All he cared about was calming 'Teazer down so sobs stopped racking her body and her tears stopped flowing. But he was nowhere near that point.

After a good ten minutes, 'Teazer's sobs slowed enough so she could speak. "Jake...He...he..."She managed to choke out between sniffles. She broke down into sobs again as soon as the memories came back to her. She shifted her head and nestled it into Elijah's neck as he tightened his embrace. She focused on Elijah's musky scent and his deep, even breaths to calm her down.

That name was all he needed to hear, but he kept himself relaxed and calm for 'Teazer's sake. It would just makes things worse if he tensed up and made any sudden noises, like a hiss or growl. He felt 'Teazer slowly relax and her trembling sobs eased to mere sniffles after what felt like hours. Her breathing became deep and slow, just like his.

He glanced down at her and noticed that she had her eyes closed and a tiny, tranquil smile played on her lips. _"She's fallen asleep...Should I...?"_He thought as he brought his head closer to hers. _"It's worth a shot, I guess."_He convinced himself as he gently nuzzled her headfur. He felt her back shiver slightly where his paws were as she took a sharp intake of air, then relaxed again. He smirked and tried again. Same reaction, only this time she let out a quiet, dreamy sigh. Her smile widened.

Before his logical, controlled mind could stop him, he let his impulse and the magic of the moment drive him to do one last thing. He shifted his head and let his lips gingerly graze her fur before he softly pressed them to her cheek, closing his eyes and relishing the perfect moment. He pulled away as he felt 'Teazer completely relax in his arms; her head lolled back onto his chest and her shoulders dropped. He smiled as he heard an almost inaudible moan of pleasure escape her.

The lust he held for any other queen at any other bar was _nothing_ compared to what he felt for Rumpleteazer right now. The tender, warm, raw emotion that enveloped him could easily bring him to his knees, given the chance. This was definitely not lust; this was _love_.

Carefully, he lowered himself so that they were both lying down on the mattress. Shifting his body so that they were both more comfortable, he felt his eyelids grow heavy with sleep and he slid them shut as he entered the peaceful darkness once more.

A voice in his head, his logical conscience, finally broke through to him.

"_What the hell are you doing, Elijah?"_

"_I'm in love with Rumpleteazer."_

"_In love? But don't you know that the punishment for that is-"_

"_Death? I know."_

**A/N: Awww, nice fluffy ending! I loved writing that part. Umm...If there are any self-defense people out there, I'd greatly appreciate it if you critiqued that fighting lesson. I want it to be as accurate as possible!**** Thanks!**_  
><em>


	6. The Ugly Truth Part 1

Disclaimer: I own Elijah, and a cat that looks _exactly_ like Demeter (she's a queen, too.). I don't, however, own Cats.

**A/N: As usual, I should warn you that this chappie has swearing, a little fluff, and violence in it. Thanks to everyone who has read and/or reviewed so far! I'm happy to see people are interested in this story! Thanks! Don't forget to review! Enjoy...**

Rumpleteazer opened her eyes groggily only to find that the only thing she could see was black fur. _"Whot in tha' world...?"_She thought as the memories of last night started to fall in place: Jake silently beating her up in the middle of the night; her brother too tired and irritated to help (he gets _terribly_ grumpy when you wake him up in the middle of the night, and if you don't have any visible or audible evidence, he doesn't care why;) and her going to Elijah for help as a last resort. She had to admit, he was much more sympathetic than 'Jerrie when it came to queens. That's why she had grown to like him so quickly; why she thought she could trust him easily. Plus, he was attractive to boot; with his short, midnight-black fur...his lean, muscular body, and his sky-blue eyes that had a kind essence to them...

Before she could go any further, an urgent voice in her head sounded off.

"_Wait, 'old up tha' a second, 'Teaze! Ya _loike_ 'im? When did tha' 'appen?"_

"_Somewhere between tha' noight at tha' bar, an' las' noight's...events, Oi think."_

"_Ya know you're jus' diggin' yaself an 'ole ya can't ge' out o', roight? Ya'll ge' caught, an' suffah consequences, jus' loike Eloijah told ya. Do ya realleh wont ta know whot they ah'?"_

"_O' course Oi don'! Oi nevah said Oi'd tell 'im, or aneyone else, fo' tha' mattah. Now, leave me alone, Oi'm too comfo'table ta be bothered boiy tha' loikes o' ya."_

"_Foine, enjoy ya bliss. But _when_ ya ge' caught, think 'bout whot ya'll do once ya ah' out o' a job, or worse...an' whot 'bout 'Jerrie? Whot will 'e think?"_

"'_Jerrie? Oi didn' think o' 'im yet. Ah' well, we'll deal with 'im when tha' toime comes. Now leave me be."_

Her conscience withdrew from her mind, instead being replaced by happiness and serenity as she breathed in Elijah's sweet, musky scent, and heard his rhythmic heartbeat against her ear. The gentle rise and fall of his chest against her cheek almost lulled her back to sleep, if it weren't for his sudden stir.

Elijah let out a small yawn and shook his head as he blinked his eyes open. He looked down at 'Teazer who was smiling up at him. He furrowed his brow for a second as if he didn't know why the calico queen was lying next to him.

His face lit up and he smirked as he remembered what happened the previous night, but it was fleeting. His expression grew concerned as two problems entered his mind: 1. what really did happen to 'Teazer last night? He had to find Jake and settle the score. 2. He. Slept. With. 'Teazer. That was a huge problem in itself. What if they got caught? What if someone found out and reported them to Macavity? Not only would he be in danger, but 'Teazer would be too. He had to end this before it could get out of hand, as much as it tore his heart apart to even think of letting go of the one queen he felt like he could truly love.

'Teazer's expression grew worried as Elijah seemed to blank out, his face locked in a look mixed with concern, indecision, and fear. "Eloijah...? Whot's wrong? Does it 'ave ta do with moi?"She asked as she sat up and faced him.

He gave no indication that he heard her, as he remained perfectly still, despite the sudden shift of the mattress. The only part of his body that moved was his tail, which occasionally twitched in agitation.

'Teazer sat there waiting for what felt like an eternity before he finally jerked his head and sat up, turning his eyes towards her. They were full of sadness and regret, just like his voice. "'Teazer...We both know where this friendship of ours might be headed. Last night was just a confirmation of that. We can't let it go any further, or we'll both be in grave danger. Remember when I said showing affection beyond friendship was forbidden here? That it had serious consequences?"He paused as 'Teazer nodded and her expression mimicked his own concerned one. "Did I ever tell you why?"He asked again. This time 'Teazer shook her head.

Elijah sighed as he stood up and walked over to his dresser. He pulled open the third drawer and brought out a thin, worn, black paperback handbook. He shut the drawer and walked back while he flipped through the little book. Finding the page he was looking for, he sat back down on the mattress beside 'Teazer and read it out to her.

"Displays of Affection among Security Personnel: Displays of any romantic or familial affection is forbidden among all security personnel. This includes security officers, sentries, command, and henchcats. Displays of affection, public or private, are signs of a strong emotional bond between personnel, male or female, which could lead to aggression, favouritism, depression, mutiny...You get it."Elijah added that part in. "Any signs of affection beyond comradeship will be strictly penalized by either doing time, probation, banishment, or in some rare cases, death, depending on the relationship. All cases of displays of affection must be reported immediately to prevent permanent mental or emotional disruption or damage to any security personnel."Elijah finished and closed the book. He placed it beside him on the bed and looked to 'Teazer for her reaction.

'Teazer nodded, taking in the words. "Ah' ya goin' ta report us ta Macavity? Does tha' mean we can't be friends aneymore?"She asked, fearing what the answer might be. She gazed at Elijah, begging him with her eyes to say the answer she wanted.

Elijah gazed back as he felt his heart melt a bit. _"Get a hold of yourself! You're going soft, aren't you? Toughen up before you get into real danger!"_He mentally slapped himself, bringing himself back to reality. "N-no, I won't be reporting anyone. You're a rookie, so you're still soft and sensitive. We expect this type of thing to happen before we get a chance to toughen you guys up on missions. Since no one but you, 'Jerrie, and I know what's been going on between us, we can't get reported. We can still stay friends, just not anything more than that."He smiled kindly, hoping 'Teazer understood.

"I undahstand. Oi'm glad we go' tha' cleared up. 'Ow's ya arm?"'Teazer asked, changing the subject. She motioned to Elijah's right forearm, which was still bandaged.

Elijah glanced down at it and shrugged. "Not bad. Still throbs a little, though...Speaking of injuries, what exactly did Jake do to you last night? I need to know what he did so I can charge him for unprovoked assault and give him a piece of my mind."He gestured to 'Teazer, whose bruises had started to yellow from last night.

'Teazer self-consciously wrapped her arms around herself, as if that would hide her bruises. She avoided Elijah's eyes as she spoke. "'E cloimbed up ta moi bed, an' clapped a paw ovah moi mouth so Oi couldn' scream. Oi troiyed ta keep 'im away with those punches ya taught moi, but 'e held moi arms down. 'E punched moi 'ard a few toimes in moi torso, an' left as soilently as 'e 'ad come. Oi troiyed ta ge' 'Jerrie ta 'elp, but since 'twas dark and Jake was soilent, 'e wouldn' believe moi. So Oi came ta ya."She explained as she met Elijah's gaze, which was cold and distant. She stared at him for a moment, wondering what he was thinking of this time.

Wordlessly, Elijah stood up and walked to the door. He stopped before he opened it, and looked over his shoulder at 'Teazer. "Don't come out until 'Jerrie comes and gets you. We can't be seen leaving the room together, or the other cats will think something's up. I have some business to take care of with Jake."He said in a low voice, almost a growl. 'Teazer caught a hint of fury in his sky-blue eyes.

She was about to protest, but the door had already closed shut and Elijah was gone before she could open her mouth to speak. She sighed heavily and dropped her head in her paws. _"Whoiy does tha' answer ta evreythin' 'round 'ere 'ave ta be violence? Oh, tha's roight; Eloijah 'as a tempah an' Oi'm surrounded boiy rowdy toms! Oi jus' 'ope Eloijah realoizes whot 'e's doin'...Foightin' Jake could only make thin's worse."_She thought as she let out another sigh and picked up the little black handbook Elijah left on the bed. She skimmed through it, having nothing else to do while she waited for 'Jerrie. The titles at the top of each page in bolded, black letters meant nothing to her.

"_Methods of Assassination? Methods of Blackmail? Rules and Regulations Regarding Sentries? ...Wait, whot's this?"_'Teazer stopped at a page tilted "Journals". She smiled mischievously as she started reading. _"Journals: Every security officer, sentry, and command personnel are required to keep journals. This ensures that they record progress made by themselves and other personnel in regards to missions, daily life, and so on. It also ensures that personnel do not become mentally or emotionally unstable due to uncontrolled emotions or thoughts."_'Teazer's smile grew wider as she read that last part. _"Oooh, Eloijah 'as a journal somewhere 'round 'ere, huh? Oi'd loike ta see tha'. Oi've awlways wondered whoiy 'e was so calm an' collected, unloike tha' othah cats...Hmm...If Oi were a journal, where would Oi be?"_'Teazer thought deviously as she got up and searched Elijah's dresser. She already knew what was in the first two, but she rummaged around in the second one in case it was hidden under the rags. Nothing. She checked in the third and fourth drawers, but she didn't have any luck. Those drawers didn't even _have_ anything in them.

Groaning in slight frustration, she checked behind his mirror. Again, nothing. She had to get creative if she was going to find that journal and all its secrets. She sat back on the bed to think. But instead of feeling the normal bounciness of the mattress underneath her, she felt something hard. She bounced some more to make sure it wasn't just a stiff spring. Nope, there was definitely something under there.

Her face lit up as she thought of the only thing it could be. _"Jackpot!"_She thought excitedly as she scrambled off the mattress and lifted it up. Sure enough, she spotted a brown, thin, leather-bound book and a pen underneath it. Smiling deviously again, she reached for it and pulled the book out. Dropping the thin mattress back down, she sat on it and looked the book over. It was quite worn, which meant Elijah used it frequently. It was slightly larger than the handbook, and wider.

'Teazer was about to crack it open when something in her mind stopped her. _"Do Oi realleh wont ta do this ta Eloijah? Read 'is mos' proivate thoughts? ...'Ell yeah, Oi do!"_She grinned as she flipped to the most recent entry, which happened to be from two days ago, the night of the bar "incident". It still gave her the chills. She looked down at the page, eager to read it from Elijah's perspective. She was impressed by his neat handwriting. It was much more legible than her brother's chicken-scratch writing.

_May 5__th__:_

_Just got back from the Red Sapphire. That queen Valerie was the best kisser I ever met. She wasn't too forward with me, like those other doxies I see at that bar. _'Teazer raised an eyebrow at that last comment, but kept on reading. _Surprisingly, 'Jerrie and 'Teazer didn't get drunk. The whiskey they serve there is pretty potent. I don't like it. I felt terrible leaving 'Teazer alone, and I knew I shouldn't have. But she had 'Jerrie nearby...so I guess she wasn't completely unprotected. My God, was I wrong. I didn't even know she was in trouble until I heard her scream my name. I'll never forget the fear in her voice. It was like someone punched a hole through my heart..._'Teazer gave a soft "awww" and kept reading. _I vowed then and there that I'd never let that fear be heard ever again. I grabbed 'Jerrie along the way; he had to have some revenge, too. We both beat the living daylights out of that tom. No one and I do mean _no one,_ messes with 'Teazer and gets away with it. It's the same with any other queen, of course, but 'Teazer's different...Instead of minor irritation, I felt full-blown fury. Also, when I held her in my arms that second day after she fell...everything felt perfect; ...right. It wasn't just happiness and relief that she was safe; it was pure bliss as well. I haven't purred like that in over a freakin' year. There's just something about her that I can't feel with any other queen. Damn it, I haven't even known her for a full week and I'm already in love with her... Holy shit, I sound like a love-sick moron! Even worse, that kind of behavior could get us both killed! As much as it breaks my heart...I have to end this before it's too late._

'Teazer felt herself getting chocked up as she closed the book and shoved it back under the mattress. She felt her heart melt as a single tear slipped down her cheek. "Eloijah...Oi nevah knew ya felt loike tha' 'round moi. Oi jus' feel so terrible an' angry tha' the rules placed on us 'round 'ere smothah'd the relationship we couldda 'ad. They soilenced moi before Oi could tell ya Oi feel tha' same way..."She whispered as she wiped the lone tear away and took a deep, shaky breath. She heard the doorknob turn, and saw the door open as 'Jerrie poked his head in. He didn't look happy.

* * *

><p>Elijah closed the door behind him. He snapped his head to the right and walked down the hall with only one thing on his mind: to give Jake the beating he deserves. While he was concentrating on what he would do to the tom, he didn't notice the movement from behind the corner.<p>

Before he knew what was going on, he heard an angry hiss and was suddenly tackled the ground. Grunting as his body hit the ground; he quickly came to his senses and rolled over so he was the one pinning the tom down. He got a good look at his attacker and realized it was Mungojerrie. "'Jerrie...? What the hell are you doing?"Elijah asked while trying to keep the struggling calico tom pinned so he could calm down.

'Jerrie gave another frustrated hiss before he spoke. "Where's moi sistah? Whot did ya do ta 'er?"He spat furiously as he tried to free himself from the black tom's grasp. It was a futile effort, as Elijah was much stronger than him.

Elijah's confusion gave way to understanding as he realized what made his friend so upset. "'Teazer's fine, 'Jerrie. She's-"He paused as he looked around for any toms that could be eavesdropping. He lowered his voice to barely above a whisper so no one could hear him. "She's in my room. Jake beat her up last night. Damn it, 'Jerrie, why didn't you do anything?"He asked, raising his voice a little. He let 'Jerrie up and helped him stand.

'Jerrie cocked his head to one side, in utter disbelief. "Jake beat 'er up? Oi was 'alf-asleep! 'Ow was Oi supposed ta know if Oi couldn' 'ear anythin', o' if Oi couldn' see tha' injuries? Oi thought she jus' 'ad a bad dream, o' somethin'!"He whispered harshly as he dusted himself off.

Elijah raised an eyebrow as he glanced over his shoulder again, to make sure no one was listening. "I have to go deal with Jake. Go get 'Teazer, but make sure nobody sees you guys leave my room, alright? Don't come into the cafeteria until either Jake or I leave. I don't want to get you guys tangled up in this one. Jake may be a security officer, but his beating was unnecessary. It's my job to charge him for that."He explained as 'Jerrie nodded and headed down the hall.

Elijah took a deep breath to focus himself before walking into the cafeteria. He glanced around for Jake, and his eyes rested on the gray tom sitting at one of the long tables, at about the middle. Curling his upper lip back and letting out a slow hiss, he stalked up to the tom and swiftly grabbed his neck before throwing him off the wooden bench and onto the hard, concrete floor. The other cats around them suddenly stood up and backed away, giving the two toms some space.

Surprised, and winded, Jake coughed a few times to get his breath back. He tried to stand up, but Elijah held him down with his foot. "Good morning to you too, Elijah! To what do I owe this uhh...occasion?"His cocky voice dripped with sarcasm. He smiled up at Elijah, while the black tom remained emotionless and cold.

"You have been charged with an unprovoked beating. That means I have permission to knock some sense into you."Elijah hissed was he moved his foot to Jake's throat and pressed down on it with his weight.

Jake's smile faded and he grew serious. "Unprovoked beating? What in Bast's name are you talking about?"He chocked out as he raised a gray eyebrow.

Elijah knew he was playing dumb, and so did the other toms. Jake's friends had their mouths gaping open in disbelief. They stepped out from the crowd that had formed around the two toms. A black and brown-striped tom spoke. "Jake, you idiot, we all saw you! You went up to that queen's bed last night and beat her before you climbed back down to your bed like nothing had happened! You can't deny an eye-witness!"The tom shouted while his friends nodded in agreement with him.

It was Jake's turn to gape. He remained silent for a moment as he gathered his thoughts again. "Wha-? You sell-outs! Alright, fine! I did beat up that queen last night! Happy?"He hissed at Elijah, who was still holding him down. Elijah cracked a smile as he raised his fist, ready to punch the gray tom out.

Jake's face suddenly lit up as an idea formed in his head. "Wait! Before you give me my punishment, I just want to say that you're not so clean yourself, pal! That's right! You're just as guilty as I am!"He shouted so everyone else could hear. There were scattered gasps and low whispers throughout the crowd of henchcats.

They all died down as Elijah spoke. "What are you saying, Jake?"He asked in a skeptical tone, not sure what he was getting at.

"I'm saying that I'm charging you for displays of private affection with that new calico queen! I saw you two together a couple days ago. You had your arms around her, Elijah! You were hugging her and you looked like you were enjoying it! And what about last night? I saw her leave the barracks after I beat her up. I followed her and guess where I saw her go? Your. Room. I bet you slept with her, too. Let me ask you guys, did you see that the queen's bed was empty this morning?"Jake asked as he looked around at the other toms. Most of them nodded their heads. Jake looked back at Elijah, smirking. "See? And was her calico brother not worried sick and asking where she was this morning? I mean, henchcats aren't allowed to leave the building, so there must only be one other plausible explanation: she went to you. We can only guess what happened from there...I believe private displays of affection are worth three days in jail, are they not?"The gray tom smiled victoriously at Elijah's dumbfounded expression. The other cats around them began to hesitantly nod. They all stood stock-still as a voice rang out from the entrance.

"You are right, Jake. What you did was but a simple overreaction. You are free to go. As for Elijah, I'm afraid, he has to spend some time in the slammer. We can't have...weak toms running around here. What good would they be on missions?"The Hidden Paw himself drawled as he appeared in front of the two toms. Elijah felt his ears droop in fear as he backed away from Jake, who finally managed to stand up.

Macavity leered at Elijah, letting a ghost of a smirk appear on his otherwise stone-cold face. "Elijah, I'm disappointed. I never thought it would be you who would stoop this low, to let your heart and emotions take over. Come with me. The rest of you, back to your places!"The ginger tom boomed as the henchcats scurried back to their seats, acting like nothing had happened. Macavity roughly grabbed Elijah by the scruff of his neck and half-dragged him down the hall, toward the jail cells. Elijah thought he saw a bit of orange and black fur poking out from behind the corner, but he shrugged it off as him seeing things. Macavity mercilessly threw Elijah in one of the open cells, and produced a set of keys out of thin air with his magic.

He locked the cell door and motioned toward the jail warden, who immediately scampered to his side. "Yes, Sir? ...Elijah, is that _you_?"He asked, cocking his head at Elijah. The blue-eyed tom just avoided his confused gaze and curled up on the dirty, dingy floor of the cell.

Macavity handed the keys to the jail warden. "Hide these so Elijah doesn't steal them. You are to guard his cell at all times until someone comes to relieve you. No food for two days and no water for the rest of the day. His sentence is three days. Tell the next tom what I told you, and so on."He ordered as the jail warden nodded and got his chair. Macavity threw one more look of mock-disgust at Elijah before walking down the hall and to his office.

Elijah whimpered inwardly and shut his eyes. There was no use looking around when you knew you couldn't escape. He had nothing else to do but sleep and think. _"What have I done? How did it come to this? ...That's right, I listened to my heart. Ugh, look where it got me. It's no wonder why the other toms hide their emotions when it comes to love. But damn, Jake spied on me? I didn't even know the door was open! I hope 'Teazer doesn't get caught..."_He thought bitterly as he mulled over the events of the morning. It had gone from good to bad, and now he was in jail. Could it get _any_ worse?


	7. The Ugly Truth Part 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Cats, but I own Elijah. Deal with it.

**A/N: It's part two! What will happen to Rumpleteazer? Will she get caught as well? Find that out and much more as we continue our story! It starts off when Mungojerrie enters Elijah's room, in case anyone's wondering...Enjoy! ****You guys know the regular warning by now, right? Swearing? There's not much, but it's better to be safe than sorry for the younger readers, eh?**** Don't forget to review! The chant "Jailbird" is something I made up. It's supposed to be loosely sung to the tune of "Daisy, Daisy", but you can sing it however you like.**

'Teazer felt herself getting chocked up as she closed the book and shoved it back under the mattress. She felt her heart melt as a single tear slipped down her cheek. "Eloijah...Oi nevah knew ya felt loika tha' 'round moi. Oi jus' feel so terrible tha' the rules placed on us 'round 'ere smothah'd the relationship we couldda 'ad. They soilenced moi before Oi could tell ya Oi feel tha' same way..."She whispered as she wiped the lone tear away and took a deep, shaky breath. She heard the doorknob turn, and saw the door open as 'Jerrie poked his head in. He didn't look happy.

* * *

><p>'Teazer furrowed her brow at her brother's solemn expression. "'Jerrie? Whot's wrong? Where's Eloijah?"Her voice got more desperate with each question. <em>"Whot 'appened? Did Eloijah ge' 'urt?"<em>She thought as memories of his injured arm flashed through her mind. With that arm, he definitely wouldn't last long in a fight.

Mungojerrie silently shook his head as he stepped inside and shut the door behind him. He padded over to his sister and sat down beside her on the bed. Wrapping his arms around her he whispered, "Eloijah's in jail, 'Teaze. Oi saw Macavity drag 'im off moiself."His voice was laden with sadness that just confused 'Teazer even more than the hug.

'Teazer roughly pushed herself away from her brother while shouting frantically, "Whot? Whoiy? Oi need ta see 'im; this 'as ta be a mistake!"Her voice cracked as tears rimmed her eyes. She stood up to leave, but 'Jerrie was quick to grab her by her shoulders and sit her back down.

Her brother looked her straight in the eyes. "You'll do no such thin'. We can't see Eloijah, 'e's a prisonah fo' tha' next three days. 'E go' charged with displays o' proivate affection. But Oi think they'll let ya off, because ya ah' new. You're safe...fo' now."He said as 'Teazer calmed down a bit.

She looked forlornly at the door. "This is awll moi fault. 'E's in jail because o' moi. Whot ah' we goin' ta do now, 'Jer?"She asked as she stood up and started pacing the length of the small room.

'Jerrie thought for a moment before he answered. After a few moments of silence he said, "'Teaze, it's not _awll_ ya fault. Eloijah's jus' as much ta blame, if not more. Oi say we wait. Someone's sure ta come lookin' fo' us. Oi bet we'll be told whot ta do from there. Roight now, though, let's ge' somethin' ta eat. We'll need tha' energy."He reasoned as he also stood up and went to open the door. He looked both ways to make sure no one was watching before motioning for 'Teazer to follow. 'Teazer let out a quiet, hopeless sigh before following her brother out into the hall.

The pair walked silently down the hall to the cafeteria without a hitch. It was when they reached the cafeteria doors that they ran into another tom, which just happened to be Casey, the tom who brought them here. He raised an eyebrow at the calico pair before motioning for them to follow him. The trio walked down the hall leading to the jail cells, but stopped halfway there; out of earshot of anyone in the cafeteria.

'Teazer couldn't stand the silence anymore. "Oi'm not in trouble, am Oi?"She whispered harshly to Casey as she clasped her paws together like she was begging him.

Casey gave a small smirk as he put 'Teazer's paws down. "No, I don't think so. But you're a lucky little queen, aren't you? If we found this out say...next week, we'd have no problem throwing you in jail along with Elijah."He chuckled at 'Teazer's mortified expression, and then continued. "But that's not why I want to talk to you guys. Since Elijah's...off duty and you guys look much healthier, Macavity and I decided it's time you go on your first mission. Mission briefing's in a half-hour, so eat something and meet in the jail hall. Don't be late. Dismissed."He stated as he walked off down the hall.

'Jerrie and 'Teazer exchanged happy smiles and 'Teazer tried to suppress a giddy squeal as she and her brother ran off in the opposite direction to the cafeteria. They quickly got their mouse soup and sat at an empty table to eat it. As they were eating, they noticed suspicious glances being thrown their way and disapproving glares being shot at them from other toms in the large room.

'Jerrie leaned in towards his sister so no one else could hear. "'Teaze, ah' they lookin' at ya? Do they think ya ah' soleley responsible fo' puttin' Eloijah in jail?"He asked quietly as he spooned more food into his mouth. He looked around and even saw some toms shaking their heads in his sister's direction. What did they expect her to do? Be thrown in jail as well? _"Maybe tha's whoiy they look so angreh...Did they expect 'Teazah ta ge' punished jus' as 'arshly as Eloijah? Tha' would 'ardly be fair, since she's jus' a rookie."_He thought as he saw his sister shrug and continue eating her food in complete ignorance of the unpleasant glares from the cats around her.

They finished their food in silence and put their bowls away. As 'Jerrie and 'Teazer were walking out of the room, one of the few queen henchcats stuck her foot out from the bench as if to turn around and stand up. When the calico pair passed, 'Teazer stumbled over her foot, earning chuckles and smirks from the toms at the table. 'Jerrie caught his sister before she fell, and curled his upper lip back and let out a quiet warning hiss at the smirking queen.

This just amused the white and gray queen even more. She narrowed her brown eyes at 'Teazer, who raised a questioning eyebrow at her. "Whoops, sorry. Watch your step..."She sneered sarcastically as she turned around. "Bitch."She added under her breath, but loud enough for 'Teazer to hear. The calico pair just ignored her comment and kept walking. They knew better than to react and stoop down to her level.

'Jerrie and 'Teazer wordlessly walked down to the jail hall. Some toms were already there, sitting against the wall. They didn't do any more than look up to see who came before dropping their heads again and resuming chatting with their neighbour. 'Jerrie and 'Teazer decided to follow their example and sit by the wall as well.

As 'Teazer waited, she couldn't stop fidgeting. Their first mission! What were they going to do? Steal something? Spy? She would have to wait to find out, just like everyone else. Glancing around the hall, she only saw one cat she recognized, besides her brother: the red and white tom from their table of Elijah's friends. At least she knew _someone_. The other two were lanky, nimble-looking toms, judging by their appearance and the way they gestured quickly and precisely while they spoke in low tones.

After about ten minutes, about three other toms arrived, along with Casey. Casey did a quick head-count before clearing his throat slightly. All the cats stopped talking and turned their heads and ears towards him, giving him their full attention.

"Afternoon, everyone. Unfortunately, Elijah can't be here because of certain...circumstances you are all aware of so-"Casey got cut off as two brown, lanky toms in the group suddenly burst out into a chant. Their raspy, loud, off-key tenor voices just made it even funnier as they echoed throughout the quiet hall.

_Jailbird, jailbird,_

_It's a sad thing to see!_

_Beaten up, starved and alone...!_

_Ya're a jailbird till ya're nothin' but bone!_

All the cats except 'Jerrie and 'Teazer howled with laughter, and even the serious Casey chuckled a bit. They all calmed down after a few moments so Casey could continue. "Yes, thank you, that was very..._entertaining_, to say the least_._" The black and white tom said sarcastically and then took on a more serious tone. "Tonight's mission will be lead only by me. We will be doing recon on the Jellicle Junkyard. Find out any weaknesses, and so on. I want numbers, security level, skill level, entry points, and the like. Anything you can find that will be of use. We meet at sundown here. Questions?"He raised an eyebrow at the cats surrounding him.

'Teazer hesitantly lifted a paw in the air. Casey pointed to her, and the other toms turned their heads toward her. "Umm...Whot if we ge' caught?"She asked quietly. The toms around her smirked and nudged each other as if that was a stupid question.

Casey let out a low growl, making them stop. "If you get caught, run back here as fast as you can. If you get captured, fight your way out or think of a quick escape plan. Jellicles are not nearly as strong as we are, so they shouldn't be hard to fight. Anything else?"He asked and 'Teazer shook her head no.

"Good. Dismissed. Oh yes, Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer, report to Macavity's office."The black and white tom stated flatly and all but the two calicos stood up and quickly dispersed. 'Jerrie and 'Teazer exchanged shrugs and headed down the jail hall towards the Hidden Paw's office. While they were walking, they noticed the jail warden was sleeping. 'Jerrie smiled and kicked him in the leg, making him jump and almost fall off his chair.

'Teazer stifled a giggle at the tom, who vigorously shook his head before smiling up gratefully at 'Jerrie. "Thanks, man. I musta dozed off. Mac' would kill me of he caught me sleeping."He said as 'Jerrie nodded and continued walking.

They reached the door to Macavity's office, and knocked. Upon hearing "enter", they opened the door and stepped inside. Just like last time, Macavity was poring over a map. This time it was large, blue, and covered almost the whole desk. The ginger tom looked up as 'Jerrie and 'Teazer stopped a few feet in front of the desk. He quickly rolled up the map and set it aside.

His acid yellow eyes bore into both of them as he spoke. "You two look much better than the first time I saw you. It's such a shame Elijah had to be put in jail. Everyone knows he has a soft spot for queens, particularly _you_, for some odd reason."Macavity leered at 'Teazer, making her shudder. "Well, matters of the heart do not have a place here, I'm afraid. Makes toms weak and vulnerable. Elijah has yet to learn that, the naive, spineless tom."He let out a mock-sigh. 'Teazer tensed up had to bite her tongue hard to keep from retorting to that comment in defense of Elijah.

Macavity shook his head as he continued, ignoring 'Teazer's sudden reaction. "I'm sure you went to the mission briefing just now. My long-time enemies, the Jellicles, are merely cats like you and I. They are kind and generous, polite and caring...Stupid and gullible, in other words, if I do say so myself. I want to get rid of them. That's why I am sending out a reconnaissance mission tonight, to find anything we can use against them. There are some unspoken rules for missions you should be aware of. First and foremost, you are a team. Everyone helps everyone out. Second: be silent; be stealthy. Third: be as merciless as you can. In a fight, always go for the kill. You can't risk the enemy telling anyone anything about us. Do I make myself clear?"He raised his voice, making both cats start.

They nodded their heads fervently. "Yes, Sah!"They said in unison. This time they waited for Macavity to dismiss them.

The ginger tom waved them off mumbling, "Dismissed" before rolling out the blue map again. 'Jerrie and 'Teazer calmly walked out of the office and shut the door behind them. They walked down the security officers' hall, towards the cafeteria. They figured it was about lunchtime by now. As they padded down the silent hall, 'Teazer stopped at Elijah's room. Her ears drooped as she let out a sad sigh. This caught 'Jerrie's attention and he turned around, wanting to know the source of her sadness.

'Jerrie quickly realized the cause of her sorrow, and his own face turned grave as he spoke. "There's nothin' we can do, 'Teaze. You'll see Eloijah in a few days, don' worreh. Roight now, let's go ge' some lunch. It'll keep ya distracted. Then we can practice foightin' each othah ta ge' readeh fo' tonoight. 'Ow does tha' sound?"His face brightened up and 'Teazer cheered up as well. She nodded happily and hurried down the hall with her brother not far behind.

Once the calico pair got to the cafeteria, the aroma of pigeon stew filled their noses. 'Jerrie gladly breathed it in as he and his sister walked down the length of the large room to get their bowls. While filling her bowl, 'Teazer looked around for the usual group of toms they sat with. She spotted them sitting at a table in the far corner, and pointed them out to 'Jerrie. The calico tom nodded and they both headed in that direction. Upon sitting down at the table, the toms smiled and waved in greeting.

"_At least someone still loikes us..."_'Jerrie thought as he spooned soup into his mouth. The brown and black-striped tom leaned in towards 'Teazer so he could talk to her.

"What did you do with Elijah, Rumpleteazer? Three days in jail; whoo-boy that's harsh! It's usually just two! I've never seen Elijah get punished; he's always followed the rules. But somehow, he's managed to fall head-over-heels for you. Trust me, we can tell. He's _never_ done that with any queen, because ya know, he's a player. How'd ya do it?"The tom asked incredulously. By now, the other toms around the table also had their attention turned toward the calico queen.

'Teazer shifted uncomfortably on the bench with all the sudden attention. She wasn't used to being in the spotlight and it made her nervous. "Oi guess it's b-because e's been forced ta spend t-toime with moi, an' ge' ta know m-moi bettah than othah q-queens. O' maybe twas' love at f-first soight...?"She stuttered and blushed. She let out a dreamy sigh for extra effect, earning knowing chuckles from the toms as they elbowed each other.

The moment quickly wore off and everyone went back to eating their soup. After a few minutes of silence, Axel spoke up. "I wonder what Elijah's going to be like when he gets out of jail? How many days should we leave him alone?"The tom asked seriously. He thought for a moment as the other toms and 'Teazer remained silent.

"Whot d'ya mean, "leave 'im alone"?"'Teazer asked, completely confused. The red and white tom filled her in.

"Every time something bad happens to Elijah, he's usually pissed off for a few days. Then he goes back to normal. But he always comes around by himself, so we just have to sit and wait. You've seen him angry, right? You definitely don't want to get in his way when he's pissed off."He shuddered and went back to eating his soup.

The brown and black-striped tom tapped his chin thoughtfully saying, "I don't know...two days, maybe? It depends how long they've kept him without food and water. If it's a day without water, then definitely two days. If it's more than one day, I say three. What do you guys think?"He gestured at the other cats.

Everyone at the table but 'Jerrie and 'Teazer nodded in agreement. The calico siblings just looked appalled at the brown and black-striped tom. 'Jerrie cocked his head saying, "They keep prisonah's without food _an'_ watah fo' _days_ on end? Whot else do they do tha' we don' know of?"He asked incredulously. He was immediately sorry he asked as the red and white tom replied.

He shrugged muttering, "It depends. Either you get starved, beaten quite severely, and let go after your sentence is over or...you get starved, beaten, then executed."He looked worriedly at 'Teazer, who was clinging to her brother with wide eyes. She let out a fearful whimper as the tom quickly thought of some way to reassure her. "No worries Rumpleteazer, Elijah will only get starved, beaten and let go. Love isn't as big a crime here as say, murder, sabotage or stealing. _Those_ ones you get executed for. He'll be fine."He gave her an encouraging smile, and then added, "If you want, you can go see him tomorrow. We have no objections here to visiting prisoners, as long as the jail warden supervises you. Just be careful, though. Elijah will not be his usual self. He'll probably be in his most vulnerable and feral state because he'll be starved and beaten. You'll be very lucky if he even talks to you. I wouldn't be surprised if he tried to attack you, though; just warning you now."Despite his words of caution, 'Teazer visibly perked up. Her eyes no longer had fear in them, and she sat up straighter.

Smiling, she took her bowl and placed it on a garbage can. She waited for 'Jerrie to do the same. The calico tom shrugged at his friends and waved good-bye. He copied his sister and followed her to the barracks. When they were in the large, empty room, 'Teazer walked to the middle before getting into a fighting stance. 'Jerrie smirked and imitated her. Together they circled around each other, observing the other's movements. 'Teazer threw the first punch, but 'Jerrie easily dodged it. He didn't count on the second punch, though, which hit him in the shoulder. He stumbled back a few steps, grunting. He quickly regained his stance, though.

'Teazer stepped back, grinning victoriously. "Ha! Didn' see tha' one comin', did ya?"She laughed as she and her brother squared off once again. 'Jerrie said nothing, and let his fists talk for him. He swiftly stepped forward and threw four punches at his sister, all in rapid succession. She managed to dodge the first two, but the last two she blocked with her arms. Although her brother's punches would normally be much stronger, she knew he was being gentle and that he wasn't actually trying to hurt her. They continued in much the same fashion until dinnertime, with breaks every half-hour.

By this time, they were both exhausted and hungry. They walked out of the barracks with weary feet and sweaty brows. Getting their food in the cafeteria, they sat down with the same group of toms, as always.

The black and white tom raised an eyebrow asking, "What happened to you guys?"The other toms seemed to finally take notice of the tired pair and cocked their heads at them, silently pondering the same thing.

'Teazer gladly gulped down her glass of water before replying, "Trainin'. Oi mean sparrin'. We needed ta brush up on ah' foightin' skills."She ate her grilled rat while 'Jerrie nodded in agreement.

Satisfied, the other toms at the table also turned to their food, eating in comfortable silence. When they were finished their meal, 'Jerrie, 'Teazer, and the rest of the toms dispersed. The calico pair and the red and white tom went down to the jail hall while the others bid them good luck and good night as they retired to the barracks.

As the three cats arrived at the jail hall, Casey and a couple other toms were already there. Just like the first time, the toms were sitting against the wall while Casey stood at the door. Instead of the friendly, light-hearted feeling in the atmosphere that 'Teazer felt earlier that day, she sensed that the hall had a tense, serious air in it. Everyone was silent and on edge. Not a sound could be heard in the jail hall. 'Jerrie and 'Teazer sat down by the wall and waited for the other toms to show up.

'Teazer contemplated giving Elijah a visit, but she didn't want to be seen near his cell by the other toms. She knew the events from this morning were still fresh in everyone's minds, and it would just cause more unrest. Plus, she didn't even know _which_ cell the black tom was in, as there were at least twenty plus cells in this hall, and she didn't want to make a fool of herself.

Stealing a glance down the long, gray corridor, she spotted the jail warden on his chair about mid-way reading something. He was sitting in front of a cell, so she assumed it was Elijah's. She'd have to ask tomorrow when she paid him a visit.

Right now, all she wanted to do was take a nap. The sparring with 'Jerrie this afternoon had tired her out. She rested her head on the wall behind her and closed her eyes. She decided she would sleep until it was time to go. She knew someone would wake her up when they had to leave.


	8. The Mission

Disclaimer: I have a book called Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats. I don't however, actually own Cats.

**A/N: Hey, it's the one you've been waiting for! Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer finally meet our Jellicle friends! This is not the end of our tale, however. They don't stay with them...yet. That's later. Something to look forward to! Enjoy!**

Mungojerrie, Rumpleteazer, and the rest of the henchcats followed Casey single-file down the long, dark alleyway that lead out into the street. As they came out into the open, a frigid breeze hit them, as it was unusually chilly tonight. It was as if the wind was foreshadowing something bad that was going to happen. The street was silent, and not a sound could be heard other than that of the distant cars driving on nearby roads.

As 'Jerrie and 'Teazer left the safety of the alley, they noticed that all the other henchcats had started to disperse. Some went left, some right, and others crossed the street. Confused, the calico siblings stood at the mouth of the alley and stared after them, not knowing what they should do.

Their questions were answered as Casey pulled them aside whispering, "Disperse so you will not look suspicious. _Always_ keep me in your sights. Do _not_ go ahead of me. Clear?"He ordered and the calicos nodded. Casey clapped them both on the shoulder as a silent dismissal before jogging across the street.

'Jerrie and 'Teazer shrugged and scampered down the sidewalk, looking for familiar alleys that lead behind houses, but were still in view of the street. Finding one they knew somewhat well, they dashed down it and turned right. At every alley exit, 'Teazer poked her up to make sure they could still see Casey. Sure enough, each time she caught a glimpse of the black and white tom, which told her they were keeping pace with him. They passed other toms from their group, which were weaving in and out of the alleys every now and then.

After a few blocks of this constant jogging, 'Jerrie grew tired. His legs started to feel like jelly and his arms were getting numb. He looked over at 'Teazer who seemed just as worn out as he was. He could hear her panting and her pace was slowing down. _"'Ow much longah o' this? Where is this Jellicle Junkya'd?"_He kept repeating to himself in his head. When could they rest and catch their breath? It seemed they've been running forever!

Finally, 'Teazer saw Casey stop outside a huge, fenced-in area. She saw him disappear into the nearest alley, and the other henchcats were also congregating around that area. Taking that as her cue, she pulled 'Jerrie out of the alley and into the street. Together, they quickly scampered across the road and onto the opposite sidewalk. They waited alongside Casey for the other henchcats to arrive. Once Casey decided that everyone was present, he started giving silent directions with his paws. Each henchcat he pointed at nodded and quietly slunk off in the direction he indicated. He pointed two fingers at 'Jerrie and 'Teazer, signaling them to go left. Nodding that they understood, the calico pair dropped onto all-fours and, as silently as they could, hurried down the alley until they came to the end of it.

The alley opened up to their left, and they saw that the chain-link fence continued. Deciding to follow it to find entry points, they prowled the length of it, hoping to find some kind of entry or exit that these Jellicles frequently used. They got lucky as 'Jerrie suddenly stumbled over something, sending 'Teazer who was behind him tumbling to the ground as well. She was about to yell at him for not watching his step when she realized what had caused him to trip: a hole dug under the fence. Even better, it looked like it was frequently used, judging by the depth and how worn the dirt was. 'Teazer giggled with excitement as a whole new opportunity had just presented itself. _Now_ they were getting somewhere!

'Jerrie was quick to silence his sister with a loud "Shh!" before crawling under the fence. 'Teazer slightly rolled her eyes at his irritation before squeezing herself under the fence as well. Once they had dusted themselves off, the pair took in their unfamiliar surroundings. Piles of garbage loomed over them, casting shadows everywhere. Even with the minimal light given off by the half-moon, she could tell the winding paths between them were worn down. These paths led in all directions, creating a maze-like feeling. 'Teazer sighed; this was going to be a _long_ recon mission.

Her brother ignored her and dropped onto all-fours again. For him, it was time to get down to business. They were in enemy territory, so they had a good chance of being captured or possibly killed. This meant that they had to be as quiet as possible, and stick to the shadows. His sister quickly caught on to the seriousness of the situation and imitated him before jogging off ahead of him, keeping to the shadows created by the trash heaps. After taking a mental note on their location, 'Jerrie followed her lead and began looking for any sentries or patrolling cats while 'Teazer took note of anything useful, like hiding places or good ledges for ambush points.

Each time their path crossed with another, they both stopped and stood still, listening for any footsteps or voices that might be coming their way. When they heard and saw nothing after a few minutes, they moved on. This all felt like a game of Man Hunt to 'Teazer. It was fun sneaking around while gathering useful information. The threat of getting caught just increased the thrill. So much so, that she sometimes burst out into giggles of giddiness before 'Jerrie clapped a paw over her mouth, making her stop. He always put a finger to his lips, signaling her to be quiet. She knew that if someone heard her, they would both be captured, but she couldn't help it. This was just so _fun_!

As the pair reached their fourth intersection of paths, they stopped dead in their tracks as they heard nearby voices. 'Jerrie slowly poked his head around the corner, while still keeping hidden in the shadows. He quickly spotted the source of the voices: two toms conversing with each other by a trash heap. One was black and white, much like Casey, only shorter. There was something interesting about his coat pattern, though; it looked as if the tom was wearing a tuxedo. Upon closer inspection, he also noticed it _shimmered_. 'Jerrie blinked twice to check if he was seeing things. Nope, the small tom's coat definitely sparkled.

"'_Ow strange...A spa'kley tom...Tha' is so weird!"_'Jerrie thought humorously as he turned his attention to the second tom. This tom was much taller than the first, and looked more intimidating. He carried himself in such a way that 'Jerrie knew he was the dominant type. His dark, silver fur was criss-crossed with black stripes, and his underside was white. A tabby, 'Jerrie discerned. 'Teazer peeked out over her brother's shoulder to get a look herself. She tuned into their voices to see if she could get anything interesting out of their conversation.

The small tom was speaking. "...don't know, Munk. I just feel something isn't right. I feel like I'm constantly being watched."'Teazer saw him shift from foot to foot, clearly uncomfortable. She wondered if he could sense her presence. She had heard that some cats could do that, but it was a very rare quality.

The silver and black tabby furrowed his brow. "If you feel something, then that means something's definitely wrong. Do you want to do another short patrol just to be sure?"He asked.

The tuxedo tom nodded, but something suddenly seemed to catch his attention. He swiveled his head, scanning the area around him. As he turned his head to face 'Jerrie and 'Teazer's direction, he started straight at the junk pile that the two were hiding behind. 'Teazer hoped to the Everlasting Cat that he wouldn't spot them. Her prayer seemed to be answered as the tom seemed to shrug it off. He whispered something in the tabby's ear that neither calicos could make out before bidding him good-bye and headed off in the opposite direction of 'Jerrie and 'Teazer.

The silver tabby nodded and started walking toward the calicos' hiding spot. 'Jerrie and 'Teazer held their breath as he passed by within a meter of them, seemingly oblivious to the two cats as he walked by and down the path. When he was far enough away, the pair exhaled in relief. _"Tha' was close. Too close fo' moi loikin'."_'Teazer thought as she checked both ways for anymore cats. Finding none, she swiftly loped out of her hiding spot and into the shadows of the next trash pile across the path. She motioned for 'Jerrie and he followed suit.

Together, they prowled once more in the shadows, collecting any information that might prove useful. So far, they had seen two cats, and one they had to keep an eye out for. They also knew that the shadows created by the towering trash piles above them provided ample hiding and ambush points. There was also an entry point on the North side; the one they had come through.

"_So where ah' awll tha' cats? Surely more than two 'ave ta be on patrol. O' maybe this is a sparseley populayted tribe o' cats?"_'Jerrie thought as he and his sister came to the mouth of a huge clearing. On one side was a massive tire that looked like it had once belonged to a construction vehicle of some sort, with a dilapidated car with a license plate that read "TSE-1" beside it. On the other side were a few holes in the trash piles, with thinner paths leading to them.

Neither cat had any idea what these holes were, but that's not what they were concerned about. Sitting on the tire were another two cats, a tom and a queen. The tom was black, except for his spotted chest, wrists, and face, which were gold and brown. He had this furry mane around his shoulders, which to 'Teazer, made him look more interesting. The queen was scarlet with black spots, and it looked like they were both mates, judging by the way they were passionately kissing each other. 'Jerrie mock-gagged while glancing at 'Teazer who had a dreamy expression on her face. He saw her mouth "Awww!" and lightly smacked her shoulder, bringing her back to reality. She pouted angrily at him as she moved ahead, careful not to make herself seen by the two cats on the tire. 'Jerrie shook his head in disappointment before following her.

As they kept to the shadows, they crept closer to the strange holes in the trash piles. Neither dared to go in one, for they would surely reveal themselves if they stepped out into the moonlight. They rounded the corner of one trash pile only to see that there were more holes in the other piles behind it. Unfortunately, none were accessible without risking being seen. Disappointed, the pair turned back to go home. There really was nothing of interest on this side of the junkyard. 'Teazer hoped the other henchcats had more luck than they did.

They re-traced their steps in an effort to return to where they started. Everything looked the same around here to 'Jerrie. The only difference he could spot in anything was the different heights of the trash piles surrounding him and his sister. It was hard not to get disoriented in this maze of a junkyard. Multiple times he had to stop and look around to check if they were going the right way and it made him get easily frustrated. 'Teazer, however, seemed to have no problem with her special awareness. She just stopped, looked, and listened at each path crossing before trotting straight, and disappearing in the shadows again. It was becoming increasingly difficult for 'Jerrie to catch up because he kept stopping to search for landmarks before he realized he was getting left behind.

When they stopped at the intersection where they had seen the two toms, 'Jerrie felt something wasn't right. He got this foreboding sense that something was going to go wrong very soon, but he decided to ignore it. The lack of sleep was probably getting to him, making him paranoid. As he scampered after 'Teazer, he thought he saw something move near a trash pile from out of the corner of his eye. Once again, he brushed it off as his mind playing tricks on him._ "Whot's wrong with moi? Oi'm seein' thin's Oi shouldn' be, an' now Oi'm hearin' thin's, too!"_The calico tom thought as he heard a quiet, strange whistle coming from somewhere on his left. It sounded like a bullet, but he knew that couldn't possibly be true. He suddenly saw a bright flash of light from his left and didn't have time to react as said flash impacted his side, sending him flying into the trash pile opposite him. He heard 'Teazer scream as something jumped out from behind her and caught her by the scruff of her neck.

The thing turned out to be the silver and black tabby that they had seen earlier. He had an arm around her neck and was now pressing one of his claws against it as he forced 'Teazer to step closer to where 'Jerrie was lying. He noticed the tabby had 'Teazer's arm wound behind her back, and she winced every time she resisted moving. Fury boiled up inside 'Jerrie as he saw that his sister was in pain.

Despite the aching pain that had made itself known in his left side, he got into a crouch and was ready to charge the tabby tom. But before he could move any further, he heard a dark voice sound from beside him.

"Don't. Move."'Jerrie grimaced and slowly brought his paws up in surrender as he turned to look at the source of the voice. It was the sparkly tom he had seen earlier, the one he thought looked funny. He didn't look too funny now with his paws sparking menacingly while being pointed at him. 'Jerrie gulped in fear at the thought of what those paws could do at close range.

As the tabby and 'Teazer stopped beside 'Jerrie, the silver and black tom furrowed his brow in confusion at them. "Who are you? Why have you infiltrated our territory?"The tom demanded while nodding at his partner. The tuxedo tom sighed and put his paws down as they stopped sparking.

'Teazer answered for them both. "We can't tell ya tha'! Le' us go!"She spat as she struggled to get free. It was a futile effort, as the tabby just tightened his grip on her arm. 'Teazer whimpered and quickly stopped struggling.

The silver and black tom tried again. "Macavity sent you, didn't he? I know because you're not the only cats I've seen sneaking around here. As soon as your friends saw me, they ran off. You're the only two we've managed to catch."He felt the tension growing as the calicos remained silent.

He took a good look at them and noticed that they didn't even look like adults. In fact, they looked more like adolescents to him. _"Why in Bast's name is Macavity hiring underage cats? These two aren't even independent adults and they're already working for him?"_The silver tabby thought as he felt a twinge of pity for the two henchcats. _"They shouldn't be involved in crime at this age; they should be enjoying life and learning about the world!"_He released some of the pressure he had been putting on the calico queen's arm. "You poor things. Macavity must be putting you through trials that you shouldn't even be experiencing; ever. I can't help but feel sorry for you. If you ever decide to quit and have a fulfilling life, then you're welcome here. Let them go, Misto, they're no threat to us. They're just...desperate cats who've believed my brother's lies."He released 'Teazer and she immediately ran to 'Jerrie's side.

She gazed up at the silver and black tabby as she put a protective arm across 'Jerrie's shoulders. "Don' believe 'im, 'Jer. Mac's takin' care o' us jus' foine. Let's ge' outta 'ere."She muttered bitterly as she helped her brother up. Together they walked the rest of the way to their entry point and crawled under the fence. While walking back to the hideout, 'Teazer took notice of her brother's injury. In the passing light of the streetlamps above them, she made out a purple bruise on the left side of his torso, about the size of her fist. She felt a sickening pang in the pit of her stomach as she thought about how much it hurt him, not to mention his collision with the trash pile.

She placed a comforting paw on his shoulder as she spoke softly, "Ah' ya awlroight, Jer'? They didn' 'urt ya too badly, did they?"She gave him a sisterly nuzzle as he smiled down at her.

"Oi'm foine, don' worreh. Oi don' think Oi broke aneythin'. Can't 'elp but think o' whot tha' tom said, though. Whot if we ah' livin' a loiy? 'Ow long do we intend ta earn ah' keep boiy wreakin' 'avoc on othah's loives? It's awll good now, because we're jus' startin', but whot 'bout when we realleh start doin' thin's tha' we regret fo' tha' rest o' ah' miserable loives?"'Jerrie asked quietly, looking at 'Teazer as if she had an answer.

'Teazer remained silent for a moment before she shrugged, muttering, "Beats moi. Awll Oi know is tha' we 'ave a 'ome an' we 'ave an occupation. We also 'ave each othah, an' tha's 'bout awll we need. We should feel lucky we're street cats tha' go' accepted boiy Macavity. Maybe it's not tha' mos' respectable job, o' tha' bes', but it's bettah than nothin', roight?"Her voice had risen to its normal volume by now. She didn't care if anyone heard her.

'Jerrie sighed as he rubbed his throbbing side. "Sometoimes Oi wondah...Ya don' think we're missin' out on whot cats ah' age should be doin'? Oi feel this sorta longin' fo' somethin' bettah, now: a wholesome, meanin'ful loife tha' workin' fo' Macavity jus' can't give us. Don' ya feel tha' same way?"He looked at 'Teazer, who seemed to be deep in thought.

"Now tha' Oi think 'bout it, livin' a loife o' croime isn' as 'armless as Oi thought it would be. Ya're roight, 'Jer, Oi don' feel good 'bout it, now tha' Oi've been offered an opportunitey fo' somethin' bettah. We shouldn' be thinkin' 'bout 'ow we're goin' ta steal from a cat tomorrah, o' worse. We should be thinkin' 'bout who we're goin' ta choose as a mate, o' whot adventures we're goin' ta 'ave tomorrah...We're missin' tha', awll because we were desperate ta ge' off tha' street! 'Ell, even tha' street's bettah than workin' fo' Macavity! At least when we lived as street cats, we didn' 'ave ta worreh 'bout tha' possibiltey o' 'avin' ta kill someone tomorrah!"'Teazer ranted as they turned down the alley that led to the hideout.

As she thought about what she just said, she couldn't help but think back to Elijah. He didn't deserve to be punished for listening to his heart, it was unfair! Love didn't make cats weaker, it makes them stronger. What kind of twisted motives was Macavity hammering into their heads? Love and kindness were bad, but stress, violence, and crime weren't? Something was amiss here, and she knew she had to do something about it. She knew the perfect cat who would help her out.

'Jerrie let out a long yawn as he opened the heavy door to get inside the hideout. He and 'Teazer shuffled to the barracks and opened the door as quietly as they could, so as not to wake the other cats. It was probably well past midnight by now, and their limbs felt like they would give out any second due to lack of sleep and exhaustion. The metal door closed with a quiet _click_ behind them and they tip-toed through the pitch-black room to their bed column. 'Jerrie and 'Teazer fell asleep as soon as their heads hit their mattresses.


	9. The Jailbird's Confession

Disclaimer: I own Elijah, of course. Sorry I forgot to mention that in the last few chappies. I don't own Cats, as I have stated in _all_ my chappies.

**A/N: There's some fluff here, just warnin' ya. Please tell me if I did a good job or not, as I don't have much experience with fluff! Constructive criticism is very welcome. Thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed! Enjoy!**

Mungojerrie awoke to feel someone gently tugging on his tail. He groggily opened his eyes to glare down in irritation at the smiling face of his sister looking up at him. Not surprisingly, she had his tail in her paws.

He pulled his tail out of her paws and out of her reach as he muttered grumpily, "This bettah be impo'tant, 'Teazah. Whot is it?"He yawned and stretched as he sat up, careful of his cramped quarters. He didn't want to hit his head again.

'Teazer giggled, throwing a brown sack up at him. He caught it halfheartedly and stared at it. "Whot's this?"The calico tom asked bluntly. If it was another one of his sister's schemes, he wasn't going to play along. It was too early in the morning for that.

'Teazer held up her own sack as she bounced excitedly on the spot. "We're goin' 'untin', 'Jerrie! Cheer up! We ge' ta explore tha' citeh an' foind stuff fo' dinnah at tha' same toime! Casey even said we could keep aneythin' valuable we foind! C'mon, let's go!"She pleaded with her brother as he sluggishly climbed down the ladder. Mungojerrie was definitely _not_ a morning person.

'Jerrie rubbed the sleep out of his eyes as he followed his sister out of the barracks and down the hall to their right. 'Teazer heaved the door open and held it for 'Jerrie as he passed through. They both walked down the alley and out onto the street. The morning was much warmer than yesterday night, and the breeze had died down considerably. All the alleys were partially illuminated by the sun's light as it made its journey across the sky.

'Jerrie and 'Teazer turned to the right and down the sidewalk. 'Teazer peeked into every alley they passed, hoping to spot the movement of a mouse or rat. She was clearly enjoying her work, while her brother trailed behind her, still in a sleepy daze. He barely even noticed when she shouted "Gotcha!" and sauntered proudly out of an alley, carrying a dead, grey mouse in her paw. She wagged it in front of 'Jerrie, attempting to rub it in his face that _she_ got the first catch of the day.

She pouted in frustration when he didn't even make a face. "Whot's wrong with ya this mornin'? Ya're loike a zombie, o' somethin'! Wake up an' ge' a move on!"She dropped the mouse into her sack and vigorously shook her brother's shoulders, attempting to wake him up.

'Jerrie gave an annoyed grunt as he brushed her paws off, muttering, "Oi guess Oi'm jus' tired from las' noight. Didn' ge' enough sleep, no thanks ta ya."He walked ahead of her, peeking into the alley she had just come out of to see if that mouse had any friends. Spotting a tiny bit of movement behind a shredded black garbage bag, he pounced on it and sunk his claws into whatever was behind it. From the resounding squeak that followed, he figured he had just caught a mouse. The haze of sleepiness that clouded his mind soon disappeared as he inspected his catch. It was about the same size as 'Teazer's, only it was brown, not grey.

He showed it to 'Teazer, who complimented, "Not bad...Let's ge' movin', shall we?"She skipped ahead, but suddenly stopped as an idea came to mind. She turned around and smiled at 'Jerrie as he caught up. "Whot d'ya say we make this thin' interestin'? Let's ge' a friendly competition goin' 'ere. First one with tha' mos' catches boiy noon wins. Sound fair?"She asked mischievously as he skeptically narrowed his eyes at her.

He shouldered his sack as the new concept perked him up. "Awlroight. Rules ah' no foightin ovah tha' same prey, an' no 'untin' in tha' same alleys. We meet back at tha' 'oideout at noon. Winnah ge's braggin' roights fo' tha' day. Bring it, sistah!"He hissed challengingly before darting off into a nearby alley.

'Teazer smiled, she always knew how to get her brother in good spirits. She dashed down an alley parallel to her brother's, determined to beat him. He wasn't going to get bragging rights if she had anything to do with it!

* * *

><p>When the sun was at its peak, both calicos met at the door to the hideout. Each was confident that they were going to win. They dumped their contents onto the ground and started counting. 'Teazer counted ten. 'Jerrie counted nine.<p>

'Teazer smiled triumphantly, shouting, "In yar face, 'Jer! Oi win! Yes!"She enthusiastically fist-pumped the air as she stuffed her prey back into the bag. 'Jerrie crossed his arms and pouted in defeat. He hated losing, even to his sister. He scooped his mice and rats back into his sack as he stood up and opened the door. 'Teazer followed, with the victorious grin still plastered on her face. Her grin vanished as she entered the hideout, facing the jail hall.

She stopped and stared down the cell-lined, concrete hall, reminiscing about her previous days with Elijah. As much as the other cats frowned upon her for falling in love, she couldn't just forget about Elijah because they told her she'd get punished. She felt a strong ache in her heart as she thought about how miserable and alone he must feel, all cooped up in that dark cell. She felt someone shaking her shoulder, startling her out of her reverie.

"Earth ta Rumpleteazah...Aneyone 'ome?"'Jerrie waved a paw in front of her nose, wondering why she had spaced out so suddenly. 'Teazer swatted his paw away from her face, hissing with annoyance. 'Jerrie smiled, "Good, ya're back. Ya were in some sorta trance...Ya ah' thinkin' 'bout Eloijah again."It was more of a statement of fact rather than a question.

'Teazer nodded, sighing hopelessly. "Oi'm goin' ta go visit 'im aftah lunch. Ya won' moind, will ya?"She asked as she started walking in the direction of the cafeteria. All that hunting really worked up an appetite, and she was starving.

'Jerrie shook his head in response, then added, "Ya don' wont moi ta go with ya? Ya know, in case 'e attacks ya?"He furrowed his brow in concern at his sister as they entered the cafeteria. If Elijah dared to hurt his sister, he would have no problem beating the living daylights out of him for it, regardless if they were friends or not.

The calico queen shouldered her sack, thinking. When they reached the opposite end of the room and handed their sacks to a tom in the kitchen did she speak. "No, Oi wont ta talk ta 'im boiy moiself. 'E knows moi, so Oi don' think 'e'll attack. Sorreh, 'Jer, but you'll jus' 'ave ta let moi do this on moi own."She reasoned as she got her food. They were serving mousecakes today, something new for once.

'Jerrie got his food as he nodded in understanding. "Oi see..."He let out a mock-sniffle as they walked to their usual table. "Moi lil' 'Teazah's growin' up! She doesn' need 'er oldah brothah ta protect 'er aneymore!"He burst out into laughter as 'Teazer's cheeks turned red, a sign that she was clearly embarrassed.

She halfheartedly shouldered him she sat down, muttering a quick "Shu' up."She smiled, which meant that she didn't really mean it. 'Jerrie quieted down and ate his food while they both listened to the chatter of their friends around them. They didn't really pitch in to the conversation, as the hunting had tired them out. 'Teazer finished her meal early and set out for the jail hall, while leaving her brother behind.

Once she was out of the cafeteria and walking down the hall, she let her excitement for seeing Elijah put a spring in her step. She happily hummed a tune as she quietly skipped down the jail hall, toward the jail warden who was sitting on his wooden chair. She hadn't realized how much Elijah's calming presence and charming personality affected her until now. With each step closer to his cell, her giddiness only grew.

She composed herself as she neared the jail warden, not wanting to make her feelings obvious. As usual, he was napping. She smirked and kicked him in the leg as hard as she could, just like she had seen 'Jerrie do yesterday. The brown tom's head jerked up and he gave a surprised yelp as 'Teazer stifled a giggle.

He smiled gratefully up at her, and she realized it was the same tom from yesterday. "Hey, thanks! I don't know why I keep falling asleep..."His black eyes lit up as he recognized the calico queen. "Hmm, don't I know you? Didn't you and your brother come by here yesterday?"He asked, scratching his headfur.

'Teazer smiled and nodded, saying, "Yes, we did. But Oi'm not jus' passin' boiy. Oi came ta see a prisonah. Which cell is Eloijah in?"She asked, looking around. There were at least twenty cells here; he could be in any one of them.

The jail warden's face grew uncertain, as if he thought she was playing some kind of joke. He raised an eyebrow, indicating that he didn't think she was serious. "Elijah...?"He let out a snort of disbelief. "You're kidding, right?"He chuckled, but stopped as he took in her unamused, serious expression. His cheeky smile disappeared immediately. "Oh...You're not kidding. Umm...Well since I'm not responsible for your actions, I can't get in trouble if he decides to attack you. He's like a ravenous wolf, I tell you. I gave him water this morning, and he practically knocked me out! If he wasn't weakened by the lack of food and water, I'm sure he would have killed me."The jail warden shuddered slightly, as if that would help rid him of the frightening memory.

'Teazer raised an eyebrow, undeterred by his tale. "Oi still wont ta see 'im."She stated flatly. She wasn't buying any of his warning; she didn't care. She was too close to turn around and give up.

The brown tom shrugged, standing up from his chair. He fumbled with the keys on his belt before jutting the correct one in the lock of the cell door behind him and opening it for her. "It's your funeral, missy. Just give me a holler when you want to be let out."He said grimly as 'Teazer thanked him and stepped inside the cell. The tom closed and locked the door behind her.

'Teazer gazed around the dingy, black room, letting her eyes adjust to the darkness. Everything was quiet...too quiet. She searched for the familiar blue glint of Elijah's eyes, but all she could see was the vague outline of the wall opposite her. _"Am Oi even in tha' roight cell?"_She asked herself as she took a few steps forward. She stood there for a few seconds as the eerie silence continued. An uncertain fear settled into the pit of her stomach, like she felt something might jump out at her at any moment.

She suddenly felt something crash into her right side, knocking her off her feet and the breath out of her, as well. She hit the floor hard as that something, or rather _someone_ as she quickly found out, sent her rolling a few feet before she felt them grab her wrists. She caught a glimpse of blue as she felt herself violently roll over one more time before feeling a heavy weight on her chest, disabling her ability to move away or scream. Her arms were pinned to the ground next to her head by black paws. She noticed a pair of legs of the same colour sprawled out beside her own, but not touching her.

She finally looked up only to find herself staring into two feral, icy, blue eyes. Her own eyes widened as she realized just how close she and Elijah were. Heat rushed to her cheeks as she felt his chest heave against her own as he gulped in air, and his hot breath on her fur as he exhaled, indicating that their lips were mere centimeters apart. She could have sworn she felt his heartbeat, or was it her own heart that was beating like a hummingbird's?

'Teazer begged him with her eyes not to hurt her as fear paralyzed her. _"Please, Eloijah! Its moi, 'Teazah!"_She pleaded as if he could hear her thoughts. A few seconds passed, and she saw a familiar gleam settle into his eyes. That feral, icy look they had was gone, instead being replaced by recognition and something else that she couldn't quite place. Elijah was himself again, much to her relief.

She suddenly felt this overwhelming longing to kiss him. Whether it was because of their current situation or the relief at seeing him again, she didn't know. All she knew was that she only had to tilt her chin up and...No, no, she couldn't. It could only get worse from there, if she kissed him. What if someone caught them? She'd get thrown in jail, too!

Elijah seemed to have his own plans, though. Before she knew what was going on, she saw him close his eyes, and close the gap between them. She stiffened as his lips gently pressed against hers, sending an electric-like shock down her spine. The initial shock quickly wore off as a wave of pleasure washed over her body as she felt his lips tenderly caress hers, prompting her to return the kiss.

'Teazer gladly deepened the kiss as she closed her own eyes, letting her mind go blank and her body relax completely as the bliss radiated throughout her as a whole. She was in heaven. A soft moan of pleasure escaped her, and she felt Elijah smile against her lips as he reluctantly pulled away for air. They were both left panting for a few minutes as they tried to catch their breath.

Elijah's panting turned into purrs as he gradually lowered his head to rest on 'Teazer's chest, while she started to purr as well. They laid there for what felt like an eternity as they listened to their purrs become harmonized, and their hearts slow down to beat as one.

'Teazer was the first to break the comfortable silence. "Tha' was..._amazin'_..."She breathed as Elijah finally got off of her. He helped her to sit up as he nodded in agreement.

"I enjoyed that quite a bit. That was your first kiss, wasn't it?"The black tom smiled, expecting a yes.

'Teazer slowly nodded, skeptical. "Yeah...Whoiy do ya ask?"She narrowed her eyes at him, wondering where he was going with this. Why did he care if it was her first kiss or not? He's probably kissed countless queens; she was just another to add to the tally.

Elijah's smile just widened as he said, "I can tell. That moan at the end gave you away...I feel honoured that it was me you chose, though. It's something you'll remember for the rest of your life."He smirked cockily, inspecting his claws.

The calico queen gave a small, frustrated hiss as she lightly smacked his shoulder, like she would do with 'Jerrie if he was misbehaving. Only instead of the mere surprise she expected, he hissed back in pain and recoiled from her. 'Teazer regretted her action immediately as she looked at him with worry. She let out a small gasp as she observed that Elijah's body was littered with different cuts that she hadn't noticed before, and she had just whacked one of them. The most painful-looking one, along the left side of his throat, was bleeding more than the others.

"Oh Eloijah, Oi'm so sorreh! Oi didn' know ya were 'urt..."'Teazer apologized while her eyes filled with remorse. Elijah seemed to regain his composure a bit as he looked back at her.

He let out another painful hiss as he murmured, "I'm alright...You couldn't have possibly known, since its dark...Unless of course, you look at yourself."He finished smugly while pointing a finger at 'Teazer.

The calico queen inspected herself, and discovered that her white chest fur was dotted with blood, and that the back of the paw she used to smack Elijah was smeared with it. Elijah chuckled at the look of horror on her face as she realized that blood wasn't going to leave white fur easily, no matter how much she tried to wipe it off.

She glared angrily at him as she whispered accusingly, "This is awll yar fault! First, Oi didn' 'ave a choice as ta who Oi gave moi first kiss ta, an' now moi fur is ruined!"She hissed in frustration as she clenched her paws into fists, helpless against her current predicament.

"I'll agree to the first one, I guess I was a little impulsive...Uhh, sorry?"Elijah scratched his headfur, looking almost apologetic. Almost. He held a twinkle of amusement in his sky-blue eyes that 'Teazer didn't fail to notice.

She shook her head, scoffing, "Ya're full o' it, Eloijah. Tha' charm o' ya's will onleh ge' ya so far."She tried to be sarcastic, but she failed miserably. She only ended up laughing as she spoke.

Elijah cocked his head, intrigued. He smirked as if he knew something she didn't. He nonchalantly licked the back of his paw while he purred, "So you think I'm charming, then?"

'Teazer froze, fully understanding what she just told him. She slowly met his gaze as she whispered hurriedly, "Maybeh...Yes...Whot? It's 'ard not ta!"She snapped, blushing furiously. _"'Teazah, ya nit! Do ya know whot ya jus' did? Ya jus' imploied ya loike 'im!"_She mentally kicked herself for blowing her cover.

The black tom smiled at her unintentional compliment. "Oh yes, I know perfectly well I'm charming. Do you wanna know what else I know? You're head-over heels for me."He just barely managed to keep himself from bursting out laughing at the calico queen's flabbergasted expression. It was priceless.

'Teazer sat there, silent for a few moments before denying him, "Oi am _not_. Is tha' pleasah getting ta yar 'ead?"She sneered, thinking she had the upper hand. She wasn't going to admit her feelings for him _now_, it was much too early. But she had to wonder...How could he tell? She thought she did a good job of hiding it. Or maybe it was just that obvious?

Elijah's smile turned into a smug one as narrowed his eyes at her. "Says the queen who fell asleep in my arms, _willingly_ and _contentedly_, might I add, and who returned my kiss. If you didn't like me, you wouldn't have even come to my room that night and you would have pushed me away when I kissed you. But you didn't. Check and mate. I. Win."His eyes gleamed with satisfaction as 'Teazer realized that every word he said was true. She didn't even need to confirm it; his face told her everything she needed to know.

Her shoulders sagged in defeat as she snapped, "Ya manipulative, smooth-talkin'-Tha's it; Oi'm leavin'; Oi need ta cool down. Oi'll stop boiy tomorrah."She stalked to the jail cell door and was about to tap the jail warden's shoulder when she discovered he had disappeared. She heard a sleazy voice sound from behind her. It wasn't Elijah's.

"Leaving so soon...? Aww, things were just starting to get interesting!"'Teazer turned around slowly, coming to face Macavity. The ginger tom stood behind her, his face inscrutable.

She shrunk back in fear at her boss' sudden presence. _"Where did 'e come from? 'Ow long 'as 'e been tha'?"_She thought as Macavity merely stood there, probably relishing in her discomfort.

As if he read her thoughts, he spoke, "In the words of our friend Elijah, 'that moan at the end gave you away'". I was here ever since then. It seems I shouldn't have overlooked you. This time, you won't get off the hook that easily. We have rules for a reason. If those rules are broken, there are severe consequences."The ginger tom explained flatly, but he had a hint of contempt in his tone. He also possessed a glint in his eyes that 'Teazer didn't like. It was almost as if he was enjoying her fear. She wouldn't be surprised if this heartless tom was.

Now 'Teazer was really frightened. She trembled as she squeaked, "Whot ah' ya goin' ta do...?"She wished 'Jerrie were here to protect her, but she doubted he could do anything against the Napoleon of Crime.

Macavity's stony face changed as he showed the slightest of smirks. He inspected his long, sharp claws as he seemed to think of a suitable punishment. From the corner of her eye, 'Teazer noticed Elijah's position on the floor behind Macavity silently shift into a crouch as she saw him curl his upper lip back to show his blade-like, white fangs. He was going to attack Macavity, and 'Teazer knew it. _"'Whot's 'e doin'? E's goin' ta ge' 'imself killed!"_She thought worriedly as Macavity continued to leer at her.

The ginger tom finally spoke 'Teazer's fate. "You and your brother are too much of a hassle for my liking. A simple beating as punishment for your actions and banishment for the both of you should do."He stated as his paws began to spark. Even though he was about five feet away from 'Teazer, she suddenly found him right in front of her and at the same time, felt a white-hot pain tear up her left arm.

She screamed in agony as she sank to the ground, clutching her bleeding arm. She feebly guarded her face with her paws, as if that would protect her. Instead of feeling the excruciating pain she expected to follow after the first blow, she heard a hiss. She peeked through her fingers, and to her amazement, Elijah had sunk his claws into Macavity's left shoulder, preventing him from carrying out his assault on her. He still had his teeth bared, so she knew where the hiss came from. Macavity, however, showed no sign of being in pain. Blood was dripping down his unkempt fur, but he didn't seem to notice.

The ginger tom tensed as if he was only slightly irritated. In the blink of an eye, Macavity jerked his shoulder forward, getting Elijah off balance. He then threw an uppercut with his right paw, making Elijah release his claws. As Elijah stumbled back, Macavity finished off by pivoting his left foot, delivering a final kick with his right leg into Elijah's stomach, sending him flying into the wall behind him. 'Teazer heard him gasp as the air got knocked out of him by the impact, and watched helplessly as he collapsed to the ground in a heap, writhing in pain.

Macavity hovered his right paw over his injured shoulder, and 'Teazer had to blink twice when she saw the three bleeding gashes created by Elijah disappear, as if they were never there. The Hidden Paw diverted his attention from 'Teazer to Elijah as he boomed, "You _dare_ defy me? Why?"He turned around to face the black tom with his tail lashing.

'Teazer saw Elijah smile weakly, and she had to strain her ears to hear him murmur, "Because I love her..."He stared Rumpleteazer straight in the eye when he said it, and she swore would never forget the look of tenderness, passion, and love in his eyes. She was speechless. In a place where love was punished and chivalry was dead, Elijah displayed both no matter who tried to stop him. All for her. She felt joyful tears in her eyes and her heart melt as she replayed the words in her head._ "Because I love her..."_She realized in that moment that she loved him, too.

She never got a chance to say so because Macavity chuckled mirthlessly, sneering, "Oh, Elijah, always trying to be the hero. How pathetic. _Please_, just spare me the sappiness and get a _room_. Oh that's right; you can't. One of you is banished, _never_ to return here again, and the other is about to bleed to death. Rumpleteazer, take your brother and get out of my hideout."He finished as he snapped his fingers.

In a puff of smoke, Mungojerrie appeared out of thin air. He shook his head as his face contorted in confusion. "Whot jus' 'appened?"He asked seriously as his eyes darted around, taking in their new surroundings.

Macavity filled him in. "It's called teleportation. You've just been banished, along with your sister. Get out."He snarled as 'Jerrie recoiled from him in fear. Macavity seemed to go into a short trance as he stood completely still, staring ahead, but seeing nothing. A portion of the wall beside Elijah suddenly started to move outward from itself, like it was a door. 'Jerrie gaped at it as he began shuffling backwards, towards 'Teazer. He knelt beside her and laid a protective arm around her shoulders.

The ginger tom came out of his trance, putting his paws on his knees while he panted heavily. He pointed a quivering arm towards the open space. "Go right...Door at the end..."He managed to force out between gasps for air. The calico pair nodded and scurried to the entrance of the secret corridor.

'Teazer stopped and knelt down beside Elijah, giving him a one last peck on his lips, whispering, "Thanks. G'boiye Eloijah...Oi-"Her farewell got cut off as Macavity hissed viciously from behind her. She gave Elijah a quick nuzzle, committing his sweet, musky scent to her memory. She stood up and followed her brother into the dark unknown of the passageway.


	10. A Heartbreak and a New Home

Disclaimer: I don't own Cats, but I own Elijah, even though he's not in this chappie.

**A/N: We've come to the end of our tale...or really, the beginning of it as this is a prequel to Pulling on the Heartstrings. I hope you've enjoyed this story as much as I did writing it. I'd love to hear your opinion on Elijah and if he was a good first OC, or not. I want to thank everyone heartily for reading this story and/or reviewing it! Couldn't have done it without you guys! Please enjoy this last chapter of A Dove Among Crows! Oh, ya I had to change the ending a little; it didn't fit with the timeline of Pulling on the Heartstrings. That also goes for another part, too.  
><strong>

Mungojerrie pulled his sister along through the black, narrow passageway that was their supposed ticket to freedom. He felt his way along the wall, and even with his night vision he couldn't tell right from left, or even see his own paw in front of his face because it was so dark. All he knew was that the direction he was going was forward, and that there was supposed to be a door at the end of this seemingly never-ending passageway.

Rumpleteazer suddenly tripped over something, making her brother stumble over his own feet. He looked back at her to see if she was okay. "Ya awlroight, 'Teaze?"He asked as 'Teazer tried to search for whatever had made her trip.

She nodded her head as she groped around in the darkness. Her paw landed on something smooth and hard and she picked it up. Her eyes had adjusted to the sudden darkness faster than 'Jerrie's, so she could actually see what the unknown object was. She found herself staring into the eye sockets of a cat skull. Shrieking at the top of her lungs, she quickly threw the skull away and it landed further down the tunnel with a loud _clunk_. She let out a whimper as tears started to fall down her cheeks.

'Jerrie hugged his sister as she clutched his arm, trembling. "'Teaze, its jus' a cat skull. It's not gonna 'urt ya. Please calm down an' let's keep movin', okay?"He tried his best to comfort her as she took deep, shaky breaths to calm herself down.

'Teazer shook her head as she let her brother pull her along once more. "Tha's onleh part o' tha' reason Oi'm croiyin', 'Jer. Oi jus' remoinded moiself tha' Oi'm in _excrutiatin'_ pain an' the fact tha' Macavity le' cats die down 'ere scares tha' livin' dayloights outta moi. Do ya think 'e used it as some sorta execution area?"She sniffled as she kept her eyes peeled for anymore scary "reminders" on the ground in front of her.

'Jerrie shrugged. "Maybeh. Oi wouldn' be surproised. Macavity got yar arm pretteh badleh, didn' 'e? We're gonna 'ave ta wrap tha' up so it doesn' ge' infected."He stated the obvious as 'Teazer nodded. They walked in silence for a few more minutes before 'Jerrie suddenly stopped. His eyes had adjusted to the darkness by now and he determined they were at a dead end. _"Now where's tha' door?"_He thought to himself as he scanned and felt the walls around him. His paw ran over something round and cold on the wall on his left, so he assumed that he had just found the doorknob. Turning it, he heaved his weight against it, determined to open it.

The door swung open, and he stumbled out into an alley. 'Teazer breathed a sigh of relief as she finally stepped out of that wretched passageway and into fresh air. 'Jerrie dusted himself off as he surveyed his surroundings. _"'Old on a sec...Oi recognoize tha' alley!"_He thought as he stared down the familiar narrow, dark alley a small distance in front of him.

He walked ahead to where the alley they were in opened up to their right. Just as he thought, the high brick walls of Macavity's hideout towered above him, and the door marked "emergency exit" was right beside him. He figured that they had just walked the whole length of the hideout. Glancing over his shoulder, he noticed 'Teazer clutching her injured arm as she stumbled towards him. Her whole arm was smeared with fresh blood as well as caked with dried blood. In the better light of the sun, she even looked a little pale to him.

'Jerrie carefully put his arm around her shoulders as she leaned her weight on him. "'Teaze, we have ta ge' tha' arm treated. But where can we go on such sho't notice?"He asked himself as he started walking alongside her down the alley. When they got to the street, an idea hit him. He remembered that silver and black tabby saying something about offering them a real home back when they were spying on that mission.

"'Teaze, Oi know where we're goin' ta go. The Jellicle Junkya'd."'Jerrie said as 'Teazer simply nodded, too weak to form a verbal reply. They walked they rest of the way to the Junkyard in silence, as 'Jerrie didn't want to waste his sister's energy by talking.

When they finally reached the wrought-iron gates of the Jellicle Junkyard, 'Jerrie was surprised his sister had kept up this long. He admired her for her perseverance and determination. "Wow, 'Teazah, ya're much strongah than Oi thought ya were. If Oi were ya, Oi wouldda passed out 'alf-way 'ere. Jus' 'old on a lil' longah; we're 'ere, but we still need ta convince 'em ta le' us stay."He smiled as he pushed one of the iron gates open.

They walked slowly down the dirt path between the tall trash heaps. This wasn't enemy territory anymore, as they weren't henchcats as of about two hours ago. All seemed quiet as they made their way into the large clearing that they had been in when they were on the mission. 'Jerrie spotted a few cats, all kittens, in this clearing. They stopped and stared at the two unfamiliar calicos as they stood at the mouth of the clearing.

A queen that was a few years shy of 'Teazer's age cautiously approached them, curious. She had pure white fur and her blue eyes reminded 'Teazer of Elijah. She fought the urge to start crying again as the memories of her former lover entered her mind. The white queen was about ten feet away when a voice shouted, "Intruders!" from somewhere up above them, making the queen's eyes go wide as she fled from 'Jerrie and 'Teazer, along with the rest of the kittens.

A black and white-patched tom jumped down from a trash pile on their right and landed in front of them, hissing menacingly. "Who are you? What do you want?"He asked, still keeping his teeth bared. 'Jerrie swore he could have been Casey's twin; he was a spitting-image of him.

Before 'Jerrie could answer, more toms surrounded them, hissing like the first. The silver and black tabby he recognized from last night stepped out from the ring of toms. "Easy guys, I know these two. Back off and let me talk to them."He stated as the other toms backed away and behind him. "Have you two considered my offer? Do you want to stay with the Jellicles?"He asked with a kind gleam in his eyes.

'Jerrie nodded, saying, "Yes. We got kicked outta Macavity's 'oideout...Moi sistah got injured boiy 'im, so we figured we 'ad no choice but ta come 'ere. Will ya le' us stay, sah?"He asked, hoping beyond hope for a yes. If they rejected him and 'Teazer now...he didn't even want to think about what would happen.

Just as the silver and black tabby was going to answer, the black and white-patched tom interjected. "Whoa, whoa, _whoa_; you're telling me you're from _Macavity's_ hideout? And you want to stay here now? Why in Heaviside do you think we should trust you? You could be spies for all we know!"He narrowed his eyes at them as the other toms nodded in agreement, all except for the silver tabby.

'Jerrie groaned inwardly. He didn't have time for interrogations! 'Teazer needed help _now_, couldn't they see that? "If we were spoies, Oi wouldn' 'ave brought moi injured sistah 'ere; Oi would 'ave brought 'er ta Macavity's doctah. If we were spoies, Oi wouldn' be beggin' ya ta save moi sistah an' give us a chance!"The desperation in his voice frightened him.

The black and white tom wasn't buying it. "Maybe it would be better for the both of us if you guys just-"

"Alonzo! Enough!"The silver tabby harshly cut him off. Alonzo ducked his head in submission and stepped back. The silver and black tom inspected 'Teazer from where he was. After a few tense moments, he spoke, "You have a point. Even Macavity wouldn't be stupid enough to send an injured cat out on a spying mission, let alone in broad daylight. It doesn't add up, so there can only be one other explanation: you're telling the truth."He fell silent for a few seconds before adding, "But that doesn't mean we completely trust you. We'll give you a trial period to see if you really mean what you say. If nothing out of the ordinary happens within ten days, you can stay permanently. I'll take you and your sister to Jellylorum, our doctor."He smiled kindly as he signaled the other toms to disperse. When they were gone, he began walking to one of the numerous holes the trash piles that 'Jerrie and 'Teazer had seen last night.

The relief was evident on 'Jerrie's face as he and 'Teazer didn't hesitate to follow. "We can't thank ya enough, uhh..."'Jerrie was at a loss for a name.

"Munkustrap. But you can call me Munk. What are your names?"Munk asked over his shoulder. He knocked on the wall beside one of the holes and waited for a reply from inside.

'Jerrie smiled at him. "Thanks, Munk. Moi name's Mungojerrie an' this is Rumpleteazah. 'Jerrie an' 'Teazah fo' sho't."He introduced himself as 'Teazer managed a weak smile in greeting.

Suddenly a shout came from inside the hole. "Come in!"A female voice said. Munk nodded and stepped inside. 'Jerrie helped 'Teazer to walk in before going in himself. He looked around at the inside, and realized it wasn't a hole at all. It was a den. A cozy one at that, with two nests of blankets on one side and a small plastic table on the other. The table had a pitcher of water on it and a bowl. A wooden shelf sat beside the table, and it had all sorts of books and medical supplies on it.

An older queen stood in the middle, holding a basket of white gauze in one paw and a dark bottle in the other. She was mostly yellow, with a bit of gray mixed in her fur. 'Jerrie found she had a calm, maternal presence about her, which made him feel at ease.

Jellylorum's eyes went wide as she took in the two calicos. "Oh, you poor dears, what's happened to you? Come, sit, I'll take care of that nasty gash."She beckoned to the ground in front of her while she crouched down and set the basket and bottle beside her, waiting.

Munk held up a paw before 'Jerrie could answer. "I wouldn't want to know if I were you, Jelly. These guys aren't Jellicles...Not yet, anyway. It's a long story I'm sure we'll hear very soon. Their names are Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer."He explained as 'Jerrie hesitantly stepped toward Jelly, eying her skeptically. He sat down with his sister as Jelly got up and poured some water into the bowl and brought it over, along with a clean rag from the shelf.

'Jerrie tensed and let out a warning growl as Jelly brought the rag close to his sister's bleeding arm. Jelly smiled reassuringly as she hesitated, glancing at him. "It's alright, hun', I'm not going to hurt your sister. I'll be really gentle with her."She crooned as she dabbed the wet rag around 'Teazer's wound. 'Teazer winced, but she didn't do much else. She just rested her head on 'Jerrie's shoulder and closed her eyes, reassuring him that Jelly wasn't hurting her.

After a few minutes of cleaning the wound, Jelly moved on to dry the fur with the dry half of the rag. Much to hers and 'Jerrie's relief, the bleeding had stopped. Jelly smiled as she poured some disinfectant on the rag. She looked over at 'Teazer, who still had her eyes closed. "This is going to sting a bit, okay? Try not to pull away or bite."She said this more to 'Jerrie than to 'Teazer. The calico queen hissed as the disinfectant was dabbed on her arm, but she resisted the urge to pull away. When that was done, Jelly wrapped gauze from the basket around 'Teazer's arm and tied it off.

Jelly sat back and inspected her work. Satisfied, she glanced at Munk, who was still standing by the den's entrance. "If you want to take Mungojerrie on a tour of the junkyard that would be great. His sister just needs some rest and she'll be fine."Munk nodded and she turned to 'Jerrie. "Is it alright with you if you leave your sister with me? There's really not much else either of us can do, except let her sleep. I'll watch her while you're gone, so don't worry."Jelly shrugged as she pointed to one of the beds behind 'Jerrie.

Hesitantly, the calico tom nodded and carried 'Teazer over to one of the beds. The calico queen had already fallen asleep, or unconscious, while Jelly was wrapping the gauze. 'Jerrie laid her down and covered her with a blanket. "Don' worreh, 'Teaze. You'll be foine. Jellylorum 'ere's gonna take care o' ya whoile Oi'm gone."He whispered as he stroked her headfur a few times and turned toward Jelly, who was cleaning up the bowl and rags. "Thanks, Jellylorum. We both appreciate it."'Jerrie smiled as Jelly nodded in response. He walked over to Munk and they both stepped outside, into the sunshine.

Jerrie saw that the kittens he had seen earlier had already come back and were once again playing. Some adult cats were also in the clearing, and they observed him with critical eyes. The kittens smiled at him as he and Munk walked by, and he gave a small wave back. They passed by some other dens and Munk pointed out which one belonged to who.

"That one is Victoria's; she's the white queen that we saw earlier, and that's mine and Demeter's. Come by if you have any questions or concerns. You plan on staying, don't you?"Munk asked. 'Jerrie nodded in reply. "I'm sure you understand why I'm uneasy about you and your sister, considering your...background. It's not very often we see one of Macavity's henchcats go good. No offense, of course, but you can never be too careful."The silver tabby explained, scratching his headfur.

'Jerrie shook his head. "None taken. We got kick ou', as Oi told ya before. Tha' onleh real mission we did was spoiyin' on ya. 'Teazah an' Oi aren' realleh bad ta tha' core, so ta speak. We were jus' desperate street cats lookin' fo' a 'ome. We got mixed up with Macavity, an' then we got kicked ou' because we broke some o' tha' rules. Tha's basicalley ah' 'istory as 'enchcats."The calico tom shrugged as Munk thought about his story.

"You don't sound bad. Just lost. You'll be able to find a home here, without a doubt. It might take a little longer for the other cats to come around, though. Don't be surprised if everyone treats you harshly at first. Just curious here, what exactly did you do to get kicked out of Macavity's hideout?"Munk raised an eyebrow, at a complete loss as to how one even goes about breaking The Hidden Paw's rules.

'Jerrie smirked, thinking back to 'Teazer and Elijah, but it quickly faded. "'Teazah fell in love with anothah cat there. 'E fell fo' 'er, too, an' love's not allowed there. So we got kicked ou'. Oi bet 'Teazah still misses 'im...Oi feel so bad fo' 'er...she's nevah allowed ta see 'im again. 'E was a good friend o' moine, too."His ears drooped as Munk laid a consoling paw on his shoulder.

The silver tabby smiled sadly at him. "I'll make sure the other toms go easy on her. She must be heartbroken, being torn away from her lover like that. Let's hope that someday they'll meet again. Thanks for being so open, it's not easy to do that so early and quickly. It tells me that you really do want to be given a second chance."He took his paw off of 'Jerrie's shoulder as they stopped at another den. "Since we now know you'll be staying and that you don't intend to go back to Macavity, it's only fair that you have a den of your own. We have a spare one you might like. I assume you'll want to stay with your sister, and this one is perfect for two cats."He gestured to the empty den beside him.

'Jerrie stepped inside and inspected it. There was only one bed, but that wasn't a problem. He'd just ask someone for some blankets later for 'Teazer. Other than that, it had a small wooden table in the middle. It wasn't much, but it was a lot better than his previous cramped quarters. He glanced back at Munk, "Oi loike it. Much more spacious than ah' previous arrangement. Oi'm sure 'Teaze'll love it, too."He said as he curled up in the bed.

Munk stood at the entrance, smiling. "I'm glad you like it. I'll make sure your sister knows where it is when she wakes up. For now, do you want to rest or meet some cats?"He offered, motioning his head towards the outdoors. 'Jerrie yawned and shook his head while resting his head on his paws. Munk chuckled as he slipped out the entrance. "I'll take that as resting, then. Just come by if you need anything. I'll make sure Demeter knows as well. See you later, then."The silver tabby smirked as he let 'Jerrie be.

* * *

><p>'Teazer woke with a start, forgetting where she was for a moment. She scanned the dark den around her, and remembered she was in Jellylorum's den. She assumed it was nighttime, judging by how dark everything was. She looked toward the entrance and saw that a ragged, purple curtain had been pulled over it. Glancing behind her, she noticed Jelly was fast asleep in her own bed. 'Teazer looked down at her bandaged arm, surprised that it didn't hurt nearly as much as it did earlier. It was only slightly throbbing.<p>

She silently crawled out of her bed, being careful not to put any pressure on her injured arm. She needed to clear her head and sort things out. Quietly pushing aside the curtain, she stepped out into the cool night air. The moon was almost full, and it cast an eerily beautiful silver light on the junkyard. The stars were out, and 'Teazer marveled at their beauty as she walked along, enjoying her momentary solitude. She suddenly found herself at the junkyard gates, so using a nearby trash heap as leverage; she hopped onto the thin metal railing at the top of the iron fence. Sitting back on her haunches, she gazed up at the stars, now that she had a better, unobstructed view. They twinkled and winked down at her from their place in the night sky, and it made her feel relaxed.

Her mind drifted back towards her time at Macavity's hideout, and inevitably, Elijah. She felt a pang of nostalgia and sadness in her heart as she reminisced about the happy, even romantic memories she had shared with him, as well as the painful ones. _"Oi wondah if e's even aloive? Did Macavity let 'im bleed ta death, jus' loike 'e said? No, Oi won' think tha' way. Oi wondah if 'e's given up on moi an' is now with anothah queen?"_She shook the thought out of her head. It was possible, but she didn't want to believe it. Did he really mean it when he said he loved her? If so, then he wouldn't dare touch another queen, right?

'Teazer was brought back to reality when she heard someone calling her name from below. "Psst! Rumpleteazer!"'Teazer glanced down and saw a brown cat staring up at her from the other side of the fence. She recognized him as the jail warden.

The calico queen cocked her head at him. "'Ow did ya know where Oi was? Nevahmoind tha', whot do ya wont?"She asked. Macavity didn't send spies after her, did he?

The jail warden shrugged. "It was pretty obvious, I guess. Anyway, I have important news. You're not going to like it. Please save the tears for when I'm done, okay?"The brown tom's face turned solemn as he spoke.

'Teazer's brow furrowed in utter confusion. "Save tha' tears...? Whot ah' ya talkin' 'bout?"She raised her voice, getting slightly irritated.

The brown tom shook his head slowly. "I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but...Elijah's gone missing. We can't find any trace of him. When this happens, we assume the cat's dead, because they usually never come back. I'm sorry, Rumpleteazer, we know you loved each other..."He said morosely. Slipping into the shadows, he left 'Teazer alone in the darkness once more.

'Teazer couldn't speak; she couldn't breathe for a moment. Only one thought echoed in her mind as she felt her world crashing down around her.

_Eloijah's dead._

A part of her heart felt missing, like someone had torn it away, leaving nothing but an empty space.

_Eloijah's dead._

Her best friend next to 'Jerrie; her lover; her solace. Dead. Gone forever, just like that.

She sat on the railing for what felt like hours in a state of shock, trying to come to terms with the tragedy that had befallen her. A single tear slid down her cheek. Then another; and another. Soon sobs racked her shoulders and the tears flowed freely. This time, she had no one to comfort her, no one to wrap their arms around her and tell her it was alright.

The calico queen slipped off the railing and began shuffling back to Jelly's den. The stars no longer looked beautiful; only cold and distant. The lone moon bathed her in its silver light, like it shared her sadness. She stepped into Jelly's den and into her bed as she cried herself to sleep.

* * *

><p>Mungojerrie blinked a few times to focus his eyes as he vaguely remembered where he was. He hadn't slept that well in a <em>long<em> time. He sat up and stretched as he peeked outside the entrance of his new den. Some cats he didn't recognize were already out and about, chatting or sunning in the summer sunlight.

Yawning, he walked out of the den, eager to introduce himself. He hoped the other cats wouldn't be too hostile. He noticed a few queens sunning on the giant tire at the opposite end of the clearing and padded up to them. One was black and brown, another was white and yellow with a tortoise-shell pattern, and the third he recognized from the mission two days ago; the scarlet queen. He cleared his throat to get their attention, and they looked up at him with uncertain expressions.

'Jerrie smiled politely at them. "G'mornin' ladies. 'Ow ah' we today?"He asked as he hopped up on the tire and took a seat himself.

The white and yellow queen's eyes lit up as she smirked at him when she heard his Cockney accent. "You're that tom from last night, aren't you? Munk told us to keep an eye out for you. My name's Etcetera, but you can call me Etcy. Is that accent of yours real, or are you just faking it to impress us? Because it's working!"She batted her eyelashes at him a few times before her brown and black friend ribbed her, making her stop. 'Jerrie was glad she did; Etcy was making him feel uncomfortable.

The queen glared at her friend, "Etcy! What will Tugger think?"She hissed as Etcy immediately ducked her head and looked away, embarrassed. The brown and black queen turned to 'Jerrie. "Please excuse my friend; she doesn't know what she's saying. I'm Electra, by the way. This over here is Bombalurina. Or Bomba, for short. What's your name?"She asked with a forced smile while Bomba waved from behind her.

'Jerrie chuckled at their quirkiness and enthusiasm. "Oi'm Mungojerrie, but evreyone calls moi 'Jerrie. An' no, moi accent is not fake, an' noithah is moi sistah's. 'Er name is Rumplteazah, o' 'Teazah fo' sho't. Oi'll introduce 'er latah. Whot do ya goiys do 'round 'ere fo' fun?"He asked. He never really had any real friends, except for Elijah and his friends, so he had no idea what normal cats did outside Macavity's hideout.

Etcy shrugged, saying, "We like to dance, sing, hunt...Tugger!"She squealed as she noticed the Maine Coon walk by. 'Jerrie glanced at him and scratched his head, confused. She noticed his perplexed expression and filled him in. "The Rum Tum Tugger is _the_ sexiest bomb _in_ the junkyard! C'mon girls, let's go!"She gushed as she grabbed Electra's paw and pulled her off the tire.

Bomba just stared after them, shaking her head. "Their Tugger's fan club. It's quite amusing, actually. Your sister should watch out for him, though. He's a player. He'll try to seduce her."She warned, licking her paw. 'Jerrie nodded, and looked towards Jelly's den. 'Teazer herself was just stepping out. She smiled as she noticed her brother, and began walking towards him. 'Jerrie slipped off the tire and gave her a hug as they met in the center of the clearing. He observed her face and it looked to him like she'd been crying.

"'Teaze, whot's wrong? Ya look terrible."He said gently as she nodded. She took a deep breath as she put both paws on his shoulders and looked him straight in the eye.

"'Jer, las' noight, tha' jail warden came ta moi. Tha' one ya woke up? 'E told moi tha' Eloijah's dead."She chocked up as she forced out the words, and new tears started flowing. 'Jerrie pulled her into a hug again as she sobbed. She soon calmed down, though. 'Jerrie assumed she had cried enough last night over him. He felt sad, too. He really thought of Elijah as a good friend. It must have been ten times worse for 'Teazer to lose him so suddenly.

Out of the corner of his eye, 'Jerrie saw Tugger walking towards them. 'Teazer noticed him, too, and hid behind her brother as he stopped in front of 'Jerrie. He reminded her of that brown and white tom that had almost raped her back at the Red Sapphire, and she was afraid of bigger toms now.

Tugger winked at 'Teazer, and 'Jerrie noticed Electra and Etcy were gone. He assumed they had gone to do something else. He didn't like the greedy look in Tugger's eye as he hooked his thumbs in his belt.

"Step aside, my friend, and let Tugger comfort this damsel in distress."The Maine Coon smirked as a low growl erupted from 'Jerrie's throat. Tugger raised an eyebrow and put his paws up in surrender, "Whoa, hey, I thought you were her brother!"He laughed uncertainly.

'Jerrie nodded, but didn't back down. "Oi am. Ya're not touchin' moi sistah. So ge' ou' o' ah' soight before there's a real problem."He warned as Tugger backed away slowly.

Tugger put his paws down. "Alright, I respect you and your sister. I'll stay away, then. I kinda overheard you guys talking just now. I hope you're okay, miss. Please excuse my rude behavior...I didn't know you just lost a lover."He bowed his head respectfully at 'Teazer before turning around and walking off.

The calico siblings simultaneously let out a sigh of relief. 'Teazer nuzzled her brother gratefully as they walked in the direction of their den. "Thanks, 'Jer. Ya 'andled tha' quoite noicely. Where ah' we goin'?"She asked. Unbeknownst to her, they stopped outside their new den.

'Jerrie smiled and pointed inside. "Have a look yaself. This is ah' new 'ome."He said as 'Teazer stepped inside. To both their surprise, another bed was made, just for 'Teazer.

* * *

><p><strong>A few months later...<strong>

Loud, angry voices broke the peaceful stillness of the morning in the Junkyard. 'Jerrie and 'Teazer's heads shot up as the unexpected sound woke them for their comfortable sleep. The calico siblings popped their heads out from their den, but didn't see anyone. The angry voices were even louder now that they had nothing to block the sound. 'Teazer determined that the voices were coming from Mistofelees and Victoria, a usually placid couple known for never getting into a fight. By the sound of things, this had to be _bad_. 'Jerrie and 'Teazer stayed where they were, afraid to come out for fear of running into a furious Misto, which wouldn't be pretty.

**The rest of this story continues in Pulling on the Heartstrings...**


End file.
